Crimson Moon
by SalrAnime
Summary: Set after season 1, before the scouts get their memories back, S&D Vampire fic
1. Chapter 1

**Crimson Moon: Part One  
****By: SalrAnime**

Ok, I'm trying something...not so new here. This fic is going to be a dark, romantic, slightly adult version of the Sailor Moon we all know and love. Since I LOVE a good vampire flick, and I am a complete hopeless romantic, this fic will incorporate all the parts of the two things. Hard to imagine...Sailor Moon and Vampire!? Well then read on  
None of the Sailor Moon characters belong to me, if you don't already know that you're dumb as hell! Oh, yeah I just now decided to use the Japanese names, so LEARN THEM...changed my mind again

"Serena...Serena...Serena WAIT UP!!"

As usual, Serena Tsukino was once again late to school, and running at top speed to make the bell. She didn't even hear her friend, Molly calling for her from behind. Molly ran as fast as she could to meet up with her friend.

"SERENA!!!"

"Oh! Hey Moll, I didn't eves see you there"

"I noticed, you know if you left early enough to get to school you wouldn't have to make these mad dashes to make it before the bell rings"

"Hey, you're late too!"

Molly ran without a come back to Serena's last observation. They ran together the rest of the way chatting and having fun, without noticing the two cats perched on a fence watching them.

"It's hard to believe that she saved the world so long ago, don't you think Artemis?"

"Yeah, she was so young then, but now...she's grown so much"

"How long has it been since the scouts defeated queen Beryl? It's been awhile"

"Yeah, it's been almost three years...they were only fourteen when they became scouts, now...do you think they'll ever get their memories back?"

"It will happen eventually...it's their destiny"

"Serena, you were late again!?"

"Yeah, Ami...but it's only my third time late this week, that's waaaay better than last week!"

"Serena, we aren't kids anymore, we're seventeen, we'll be graduating from high school this year, and you could at least start studying for the college entrance exams"

Serena chewed a mouth full of food and sounded muffled when she spoke again.

"Sure, I will...just as soon as I finish this yummy cake! Lita you really outdid yourself this time!"

"Thanks a lot; I'm glad you all like it"

Lita smiled at the group of five friends sitting at the table before her, thinking to herself all the while that they had done this before....

"Hey, Rei...Rei are you ok?"

"Oh, sure Mina I'm fine"

The other four girls looked at their friend with concern in their eyes.

"It's just that...don't you guys get this weird filling of de ja vu when we're all together like this...like we've done it all before, but we just can't remember for some reason?"

They all sat in silence until Serena finally broke the calm that seemed so weird with that group.

"Rei, you're just being all shrine maiden weird again, what matters is what's happening now, not some weird past life"

"Shrine maiden weird huh? At least I'm not a meatball head like you!"

"MEATBALL HEAD!!? WIERD"

"Meatball head!"

"Weird!!"

"It's so strange, we've been friends for almost three years, and they _still_ squabble like pigeons"

"Well Mina, some things never change"

"I guess you're right, Ami"

As the sun went down, and night became cooler, the girls said their goodbyes, and left the Cherry Hill Temple to return to their own homes. Serena hated walking by herself, the girls all knew that. Ami and Mina had walked her as far as they could take her, but she still had long walk ahead of her, and she was all alone on the empty streets.

"If it wasn't fall, it wouldn't be so spooky out here"

She watched as the falling shades of orange and red float through the sky, making shadows of ghost and demons on the pavement below her. She shivered a little, and pulled her pink jacket a little tighter around her shoulders to guard against the increasing chill. She froze when she heard footsteps behind her. She spun around to see who was there, but saw nothing.

"That's weird"

She began to walk again, and once again she heard the sound of someone following her.

"Who's there?"

No answer. She began to walk again when...

"Hey meatball head!"

"AHHHHH!!!!!!" Serena screamed at the top of her lungs, already on edge by the specter she had heard following her earlier.

Darien was surprised by Serena's reaction, and felt a little bad that he had scared her so badly, until they fell back into their usual routine of fighting and name calling.

"JERK! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I wasn't sneaking!"

"Then what were you doing!?"

"I was walking home genius! "

"Your apartments the other way _genius_"

"......Well, I saw you out here and...don't you think its kind of late to be out by yourself?"

She looked at him blankly, surprised by the genuine care that shone from his intense dark blue eyes.

"Yeah, I guess it is, but I can take care of myself...why? were you worried?" She said with a sly smile. It was funny to her that all these years that She had known Darien, he was too smug to notice that she knew he followed her home when she left the arcade a little late, or that he would watch from a distance on dark nights, just to make sure she was ok. She never quite understood why he did, but a part of her would never ask him....she was quite sure he didn't understand it himself.

"Yeah well, a meatball head like you shouldn't be out when it's so dark, you could get lost" He said, turning from her to hide the pink stain that crept up on his cheeks.

"It's been three years and you _still_ can't get my name right!" Serena huffed loudly and began to walk off ahead of him. Usually he would be content to stay farther back and keep an eye on her from a distance, but today...he knew someone was following her. Darien had decided to stay closer to her tonight. There was something dark and dangerous out there, and it wanted Serena. He concentrated hard on the area around him, listening for anything out of the ordinary, looking, searching...for anything. Darien's concentration was broken by the familiar annoyed voice of the petite blond next to him.

"You're still here?" She asked sounding more than slightly annoyed.

"I thought you may want some company walking home"

"No thank you, I'm fine"

She turned to him with a look of mock anger when he didn't leave.

"Darien, I said I'm fine!"

"Yeah, I know"

She finally gave up and let him walk her home, but she couldn't figure out why he was so worried, it didn't make any sense to her. His dark blue eyes continually changed the direction they were looking in, as if he was looking for some unseen object. Darien's obvious paranoia made Serena a little more apprehensive.

"Darien...what are you?"

"Shhhh..."

A branch breaking...Darien stopped Serena where she stood, thankful that she had accepted his first "sush" and had fallen silent.

"Who are you!?...Show yourself!!"

"Very good, I haven't been caught by a human in over five hundred years"

A tall man with snow white hair and dark green eyes jumped down from a tree across the street from where Darien and Serena stood. Although she got strange vibes from the man, Serena had to admit that he was very handsome....and somewhat familiar. Serena almost jumped when Darien pulled her closer to him, and knelt down to whisper in her ear.

"If I get into a fight with this guy, I want you to run as fast as you can back home"

S he looked into his serious eyes with eyes full of surprise and shock. 'Darien can't be serious, he can't be that dangerous, and we should just walk away...'

"But..." Serena protested.

"I'll be ok, Serena"

If there was one thing that Serena learned in the three years she had known Darien, it was that he was as stubborn as a mule. He was going to protect her whether she wanted him too or not. She reluctantly nodded in agreement to Darien's request, still believing that it would not come down to a fight, she platinum blond was simply trying to scare her and her friend, that's all.

"Running won't do you any good, and fighting...well fighting will get you killed"

Serena gasped in shock 'he heard us!? from this far away?'

"What do you want?" Darien roared at the strange man.

"I don't want you boy, I want the girl, Serenity" He said dismissing Darien as if he was a fly and looking straight to Serena. She shivered when she saw the determination in his eyes, it was fuelled by obsession.

"Serenity? You've got the wrong girl, that isn't her name"

The man looked away and began to laugh.

"I know who she is...even if she doesn't" The man began to take steps toward Serena when Darien stepped between him and his goal, already in fighting stance.

"...If you want her, you gotta get through me first"

"Darien..." Serena breathed his name breathlessly. 'Why is he protecting me'

"Very well, as you wish" The man ran towards Darien at an inhuman speed causing Darien to have his doubts, but either way Serena would be safe. Serena felt Darien firmly push her away from him as he began to run into the blur that was the unnamed man, the fight had !" Darien blared the command with so much urgency, that Serena's feet began to move before she even knew she was running.

The man with the white hair instantly turned to go after Serena, but he was stopped by a swift punch from Darien. He chuckled to himself smugly as he wiped the small drip of blood from his lip.

"I wasn't paying attention ... it won't happen again."

It seemed like they had been fighting for hours, but the white haired man still wasn't tired, in fact he often laughed at Darien's attempts to land punches. Darien breathlessly threw another punch that failed to connect with its target, but this time he mustered all his strength for a swift kick to the stomach as soon as his punch was dodged. The man in white looked shocked when Darien's foot connected hard with his gut. Darien smiled as the man doubled over momentarily in pain from the blow. 'So he can be hurt' The white haired man looked up with a new fury burning in his eyes, turning them a blood red as he lounged towards Darien, too fast for him to see, and grabbed him by the neck, pulling him up from the ground.

"I'm tired of playing"

Darien tried to dodge him, but he was too slow...or the other guy was too fast. He felt two cold hands grip his neck cutting off his air supply. Darien kicked the man time after time, but the man never flinched.

"It would be a waste to kill you like this...I may be able to use you..."

Darien saw the man open his mouth exposing a set of pearl white fangs, then there was a blinding pain in his neck as the man...bit him? 'He's biting me!?' Confusion and terror ran through Darien's mind unchecked, before his mind became cloudy, his vision blurred, and his world....dark.

**To be continued...**

I hope you like the first part, but if you didn't...it gets better. E-mail me if you have suggestions or comments. If you have no constructive criticism, DON'T E-MAIL ME!!! I have no time to read the ratings of children.

NEXT


	2. Chapter 2

**Crimson Moon: Part Two  
****By: SalrAnime**

Ok, this is the second part of the fic, I'm glad at least SOME of you enjoyed the first one enough to move on to this part. I promise it will get better, just let me warm up

None of the Sailor Moon characters belong to me etc. Who would actually sue for copyright infringement because of a fanfic anyway!?

NO light seemed to penetrate Darien's pitch black room, not even the moonlight seemed to penetrate the thickness of his dark grey curtains there was nothing but black. There were no sounds, no signs of life, except for the uneasy sleep of the room's occupant. Darien tossed in his silk sheets as if in a fight with an unseen force, until he suddenly awoke drenched in sweat from his phantom battle.

"Man, I haven't had a nightmare since I was a child!"

Darien rose groggily from his bed, padding across the white carpeting into his bathroom and straight to his glass shower door. He needed to relax after his dream, and the shower was just such a relaxing thing to him, he was glad he splurged on it a little at times like these when he needed a shower head with five different massage positions. Once he was done with his thirty minute shower, he grabbed a large red towel from a bronze towel rack, and observed himself in the mirror as all Leos do on a daily basis. Everything seemed in order, except for his unusually pale complexion, and the two puncture marks on the side of his throat.

"How in the world did that happen!? Man I must be loosing my mind or getting sick or something not to know how I did this." He looked at the marks on his neck for a little while longer before dismissing them and heading the Crown arcade center to see his best friend Matoki.

Serena rose from her bed unusually early for a Saturday, her alarm never even had its usual chance to be thrown against the opposite wall! However, truth be told, she hadn't slept all night after what had happened the night before.

"I just pray Darien's ok" Serena held herself as a shiver wracked her body when she remembered what had happened the night before. It all happened so fast, Darien was there walking her home, then they were attacked by someone who claimed to know her, but she had never seen him before. She just remembered running as fast as she could home, all the while fighting the urge to go back and help Darien. She would probably only get in his was, and he told her to run anyway, she should listen to him this time. The only problem was, he had never contacted her that night, and she had no way of knowing if he was ok or possibly lying in a ditch somewhere slowly dying because she left his behind! Serena for the thousandth time that morning calmed herself, and repeated her now familiar mantra.

"Darien's the strongest guy I know, he knows like five different forms of martial arts, no bleached blond would ever be able to hurt him. He's ok and probably already at the crown arcade having his customary cup of coffee... With that said, and the little reassurance it gave her, Serena threw on a pair of dark blue jeans, and a white off the shoulder top, with a pair of white boots, and began her way to the crown arcade only stopping to grab her light pink jacket on the way.

"Man! Darien, you've had like ten glasses of water, calm down before you get water logged"

"I think I'm coming down with something, Andrew. The best way to get rid of a cold fast is to flush it out of your system"

"Yeah, well you just look real thirsty to me" Andrew surveyed his pale friend closely. He was just too pale, if he was coming down with something, it seems like it's probably a little more than a cold, but besides Darien's thirst and pale skin, he seemed fine.....Andrew shrugged off his worry and began to talk to his friend about school, ignoring his gut feeling that something wasn't right.

Darien was in deep conversation about the evils of Organic Chemistry, with Andrew, when the familiar arcade chime signaled the arrival of an all too familiar blond Odango Atama.

"Hey, meatball head!"

He Expected her normal "ZERO PERSONALITY HAVING JERK!" retaliation, when she suddenly ran to him throwing her arms around his neck as if he had been brought back from the dead. Serena was speechless, she was so relieved that Darien was ok, that she didn't know how to react. Finally she ran to him throwing her arms around his neck, too relieved to realize she was showing affection for her arch enemy.

"...meatball head ..wha....what are you doing!?" Darien screeched, quite surprised by Serena's suddenly display of affection....and in public!

"Why didn't you call me or something; tell me you were alright!?" She could almost feel the tears bubbling over, but was too angry to let them go. Here she was worrying ALL night and the jerk was acting like nothing happened.

"What are you talking about!?" She looked at him shocked and pissed at the same time.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! I thought you were dead after I didn't hear from you last night, I didn't know what happened to you! I couldn't even sleep last night, so naturally I was late for school and..."

"It's Saturday, Serena " She was fuming now, this guy was a piece of work worrying her half to death and now he wouldn't even acknowledge he had worried her half to death.

"That's besides the pint, I was worried about you!"

"I don't understand why?"

Serena stepped back and looked at him, blinking twice.

"No way! You mean you don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"You walked me home last night, and we got attacked"

Darien shook his head "no".

"The whole, 'run if I get into a fight' plan?" She looked into his eyes trying to find some recognition, but found none.

Again he shook his head.

"Green eyes white hair ring a bell?"

Darien said nothing, but he looked away as if in deep thought. 'Green eyes white hair, I though that was a dream'

"Hello, earth to Darien" Serena waved her small hand in front of Darien's face, breaking him momentarily from his concentration, before asking Andrew for another glass of water.

"Man!...do you have a drug test or something!?" Serena asked, shocked by all the glasses of water he had drank....you'd think he would get full or something.

"What did you just say?" Darien asked, shocked that Serena even knew about drugs, she seemed so innocent.

"Nothing" Serena stated, remembering she was supposed to be miss little innocent. Letting her small glimpse of lack of innocence show, she watched Darien, gulp down his fifth glass of water since she had arrived, shocked.

"You're drinking a ton of water, Darien"

"What can I say, I'm thirsty"

"You look kind of pale too, are you feeling ok"

She put her hand to his forehead, and quickly pulled her hand back.

"You're ice cold!"

He looked up at her suddenly and touched his own forehead...she was right, he felt almost as if there was no blood pumping through his body.....like he should be dead.

"Maybe you should go home and rest for a little while"

"Yeah, maybe you're right..." Darien gave Serena a thoughtful glance before rising from his seat, and starting the walk back to his apartment.

As Darien walked from the Crown game center, he stumbled onto a tree weakly as his felt the strength draining from his body. He didn't understand it, he felt as if his whole body was suddenly just shutting down.

"What's happening to me?"

"You're changing" Darien jumped, surprised by the voice that came from behind him answering his supposedly unheard question.

"Who...Who are you?"

"I am Shukoroshi, I've come here to help you" Darien eyed the dark haired man. He was as tall as Darien, but a little more muscular. Like the man from the other night, he also had dark green eyes. In a matter of fact, besides the jet black hair, he looked exactly like the attacker from a few nights ago. The man eyed Darien thoughtfully for a short time, then tossed him a silver flask.

"What is this?" Darien flipped the flask over in his hands watching as the sun glinted off the chrome surface. Opening the flask he took a whiff of the liquid inside, even more curious as to what it was do to it's unusually rich aroma.

"Just drink it"

"Tell me what it is first"

"It will cure your thirst..." Shukoroshi said with his arms folded over his chest in defiance.

'Man, could this guy be anymore cryptic!?' Darien thought for a moment and after being satisfied that if the man wanted to kill him, he probably wouldn't poison him, he took a quick sip...then a longer one. When he was finished he threw the flask back to Shukoroshi.

"How do you feel now?"

Darien stood to his feet, and noted that he did feel better.

"I feel fine now, what was that stuff, it was...sweet"

"It was blood"

Darien's face instantly went from a look of curiosity to a frown as he pushed his way past the Shukoroshi to continue his walk to his apartment.

"That isn't funny"

"Neither is your predicament"

Serena waited for her friends to show up, and played a few arcade games with them for a few hours before she decided to leave.

"Leave!? It's not even 7 o'clock yet!"

"I know Lita, but I'm kind of tired"

"Serena, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine Mina, really!"

"Well ok, just be careful going home"

"I will be"

She smiled and waved goodbye to her friends, and left the game center on her way to Darien's apartment. She knew she should be going home, but she was so worried about him. She gasped as a terrible thought came to her mind.

'He was cold, and pale, what if he is injured, and he's slowly bleeding to death, but he's too stubborn to ask for help!' She half walked half jogged to his apartment when that thought came to her mind. She was halfway to Darien's apartment, when a familiar voice shook her to the core. Serena turned slowly towards the voice next to her.

"Serenity, I want you to come with me"

She tried to run away from the white haired man, but he took her by her arm and pulled her into a dark ally.

"Wh, Who are you?"

"You don't remember?"

She looked blankly at him.

"I am Shigo"

"What do you want from me?!"

"...you"

he leaned closer to her, forcing her wrist against the cold brick wall nest to her head. She fought harder when she felt cool lips pressed against her next.

"I won't hurt you, I just want to..."

"Let me go!"

Tears began to fall from here eyes as she began to loose hope of rescue.

"I can never let you go..."

"Never say never, creep!"

Shigo turned to see Darien standing in front of him posed to fight.

"You, my mess up...it's funny that after five hundred years, you are the only one that I've made that's been able to escape my control"

"I'm not as week as the others"

Shigo analyzed his competition.

"No, you aren't there's a strange energy coming from you be Endymion!?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you better let her go"

He let go of her wrist and turned to Darien. Serena watched the whole scene in shock, she couldn't move!

"You're too weak to fight me and survive, I will have my revenge, and then I will have your woman"

"You won't be fighting him"

Shigo looked up to the sky, surprised to see Shukoroshi jumped down inches from him.

"Shukoroshi..."

"It's been a long time...I've been searching for you, Shigo"

Shigo laughed.

"It is time that you stop running, and accept your punishment...Darien, get her out of here"

Darien moved for Serena, and was temporarily blocked by Shigo, who was punched out of the way by Shukoroshi. Darien took Serena by the wrist and began to run towards safety. He picked her up when he noticed that he was going too fast for her to even stay on her feet. He was surprised to find that she was surprisingly light.

"Darien...where are we going?"

"My apartment"

"...you're so fast..."

"Must be all that milk"

He smiled at her, and she smiled back happy that he wasn't so serious. When they finally made it to his apartment, he sat her down and went to the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?"

"I...was"

"If you need anything, I'll be in the bedroom, I want you to stay here tonight"

"But, I can't I have to go home"

"It'll be sundown in another fifteen minutes, he gets stronger as it gets closer to sunset, and I wouldn't be able to protect you"

He began to walk away when she stopped him.

"Darien, what's going on?"

"I'm not sure"

"Who was that other guy?"

"He...I can't really answer that either...he should be back in a little while, he said he would tell us both everything then"

Darien left the room leaving Serena to her own thoughts.

"Everything..."

**To be continued...**

Hope you liked it, read the next one to see exactly what "everything" is


	3. Chapter 3

**Crimson Moon : Part Three  
****By: SalrAnime**

The third part in this series, I really don't know what's going to happen, and I kind of write these fics as I go, but I hope you like it anyway. Normal disclaimers apply.

Serena laid awake on her back waiting for Shukoroshi to return, and give her answers to all the questions that relentlessly assaulted her mind. 'Darien said that Shukoroshi would tell us what was going on, but what if something happened to him, he should have been back by now.' She rose from her bed unable to sleep. She quietly made her way out into the den where Darien was looking out of a large window as if he expected Shukoroshi to magically appear at any moment. Darien looked at her as she stepped into the room.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"No, what about you?"

"I...I find myself being a bit of a night owl lately" He turned his attention back to the night sky.

"Oh" Sarena sighed.

"Shukoroshi should have been back by now, I wonder what's keeping him"

"Actually, that's why I couldn't sleep"

Darien turned to her slightly puzzled.

"He did help you save me, and he obviously knows what's going on, what happens if he doesn't come back, and we never find out by whom or what we're in danger?"

Darien felt sympathetic for the girl standing in front of him. He looked at her intensely, searching for a way to calm her.

"He'll be back, I know he will" Darien was rewarded with a small smile.

"I'm glad you have faith in me" Serena and Darien both turned suddenly, to see the man they had been hoping would return.

"How did you get in here?"

Shukoroshi slowly walked to Serena, ignoring Darien's question, and pulling Serena's chin up slightly, to force her sky blue eyes to meet his green ones.

"What are you?" She breathed softly has his gave seemed to make her feel cloudy. Almost as if she was in a dream.

"Can't you see it?" Suddenly, she could see...something? His eyes seemed so old, older than any human should live.

"You're not human"

Serena took a step back in shock. Shukoroshi smiled, almost bemusedly at her fear. Darien, who was standing where he had been before frowned deeply. He knew it was irrational, but when Shukoroshi touched Serena, he couldn't help but feel...jealous?

"Sit down, both of you, and I'll tell you everything" Shukoroshi gestured to the black suede couch in Darien's den.

Serena and Darien both sat on a couch in the den and waited to here Shukoroshi's story.

"A very long time ago, before any ancient civilization that is now known to man was ever born, in a time when the Earth and all it's magic's where still young, there was a civilization only hinted at in legend"

FLASH BACK

In a field of white and yellow flowers, two brothers walked, talking and chattering gleefully.

"Are you coming to the festival today, it'll be lot's of fun"

They were twins; both having silky black hair, and green eyes. They were around the same height, but one was slightly taller than the other, but they were both tall, both were young, not being older than 21, but not being younger than 18. The young women in their village regarded them both as the most beautiful men in the area, but they still were not as handsome as the Prince.

"Come on, you never go to any of the festivals!"

"Shukoroshi, why is it that you can never except "no" from me?"

"Come on, please" His brother pleaded with him.

The older brother smiled and with a large sigh, said yes.

"Great, now we have to find something to wear?"

"What!?" Shukoroshi yelled loudly as his younger brother took his arm and dragged him to an unknown place.

"Come on Shigo!"

End of Flashback

"You see, the brothers had lost their parents at a young age, and grew up having no one else but each other, they had always cared for each other, no one else had ever taken care of them, it was always only the two....until she came along. "

Flashback

Loud music filled the air as people danced underneath a crystal clear sky twinkling with thousands of lights. The two brothers sat underneath a tree gazing at the people before them.

"I knew I shouldn't have come"

"It isn't that bad Shigo, you're just picky"

"I will not dance with that rude woman just because you think I should!"

Shigo looked at a tall thin girl with long red hair who obviously thought she should have the attention of every man in the room. She slowly walked to Shigo once more.

"Have you come to your senses yet? You should feel privileged to dance with a woman as beautiful as I..."Shigo said nothing.

"Very well then, I'll dance with your brother"

She took Shukoroshi's hand and began leading him away, but turned abruptly when she realized that he was not following her. When she looked at him, she saw both brothers starring at something in the distance.

"What are you two starring at!?"

She turned to see a girl with long blond hair, blue eyes and a crescent moon adorning her forehead walking down a flight of stairs leading from the castle. She was perfect.

"You think she's more beautiful than me!?"

The brothers ignored her.

"She isn't even cute, besides you do know who she is don't you?"

The brothers were instantly interested.

"No, who is she?"

"Princess Serenity, of the moon kingdom" The two men's eyes light up with a new sense of understanding.

"I had heard of her beauty, but I never thought..."

"Yes, she is enchanting" Shukoroshi finished.

The red headed girl angrily let go of Shukoroshi's hand.

"It's forbidden for the people of the moon, and the people of Earth to be together, you have no chance with her, so I was clearly the better choice, but I see now neither of you are worthy of my time" She stated angrily, before DRAMATICLY stomping off, however, her dramatic departure was spoiled by no other but the woman she previously spoke of.

"A young lady should not speak with such contempt" Her voice was soft and sweet, and somehow full of royal command.

The young women turned around, and instantly bowed.

"forgive my insolence your majesty"

"Do not apologize to me, you should be apologizing to these fine men"

The girl rose to her feet apologizing to the men she had just insulted. Humiliated she walked away too ashamed to raise her head.

"She was a very rude girl!"

The Princess turned to see the men bowing before her.

"Oh, please, stand up, there is no need to bow" The princess stated waving her hands as if to say that isn't necessary.

The men stood and looked into her smiling face stunned by everything about her.

"Your...your highness, would you like to dance?" Shigo nervously asked the goddess that stood before him.

Shukoroshi looked at his brother shocked, and was even more surprised when she accepted his offer. He was shocked again by her kindness when she spoke to him.

"Don't worry, I'll dance with you next"

Her smile warmed both their hearts, and the brothers both loved her.

End Flashback

"They loved her, with all the burning fire of their hearts, but it was not meant to be"

Flashback

"Shigo!"

"Yes, what is it!?"

It was very late at night when Shigo was awakened by his brother calling him.

"I just saw the princess!"

Shigo jumped to his feet.

"WHAT!? Where!?"

"Follow me"

Shigo followed his brother out into a wooded area, not far from the castle. It was there that they saw the princess walking through the woods as if she was in a hurry.

"What is she doing on Earth!?"

"I don't know, maybe she's lost"

"Let's help her"

Shigo began to walk towards her when Prince Endymion stepped out of the shadows in front of the princess; Shigo froze where he was.

"Endymion, I...we shouldn't..."

"I had to see you again, I couldn't breath without hearing your sweet voice again"

"Endymion..."

"Serenity, my love for you is too strong to observe the rules of the gods, I don't care if you're from the moon, and I love you"

Serenity stepped towards Endymion and fell into his arms.

"I love you too, my sweet prince"

End Flashback

"They were heart broken, but the elder brother, he became obsessed, he wanted the princess at any cost, and he somehow drew his younger brother into his scheme"

Flash Back

"Shukoroshi, I've found a way to have her"

"Shigo, it's no use she loves the prince"

"I've found a way to destroy their love"

Shukoroshi followed his brother into a secluded area, and was surprised to see a woman with long red hair step from what seemed like nowhere.

"Shukoroshi, meet Beryl, she is going to help me get the princess"

End Flashback

"Wait, I don't understand if both the brothers were in love with the princess, then why would the other brother help his brother to get her?"

"Well Serena, he loved his brother so much that he didn't care about his own happiness...he would be content to know that he could see her whenever he wanted to"

"That's so sad..."

"Yes it is, but he made the wrong decision, his brother's obsession was becoming dangerous"

Flashback

"Shigo, I don't think we should trust her, I mean why is she helping us?"

"We can help her become known on Earth, after she takes over the Earth, Prince Endymion will have to succumb to her demands, after that, she will take us to the moon, where she will make the Princess mine"

"How is she going to do that?"

"Beryl has powers that we cannot understand...she says once she has the Silver Crystal, she can do anything."

"The Silver Crystal? The people of the moon will never give that up easily"

"No matter, I will help her get what she wants and I will get what I want in return. "

Shukoroshi shakes his head, showing his uneasiness, but he goes along with the plan anyway.

End Flashback

"because of his inability to act, two worlds were destroyed, and both brothers were punished"

Flashback

Prince Endymion is seated holding his beloved Serenity in his arms.

"I tried to tell my people that Beryl was using them, that what she said about the moon people were lies, but none of them would listen to me...my Earth is no longer mine..."

Serenity turns to her lover brushing a strand of dark hair from his face.

"We'll get your world back, I promise I'll fight to protect all you love"

He looked into her kind blues eyes, comforted by the love he saw in them. They kissed passionately on the balcony, when they were interrupted by a horn. They both jumped to their feet.

"What...what is happening!?"

"I don't know Serenity"

"PROTECT THE PRINCESS AND THE QUEEN!!!"

Fire could be seen in the distance. Endymion held Serenity closely, fearing the reason why the guards called for the Princess' protection.

"Guard! What is happening"

"Your Majesty, the kingdom is being attacked you must flee!"

Serenity's screams could be heard by the whole kingdom when she saw the man burst into flames.

"Pretty pretty princess, where is the Silver Crystal?"

"I...who are you!?"

"I am Queen Beryl, of the Negaverse"

Prince Endymion stepped in front of the princess shielding her from any possible attack, Queen Beryl's eyes widened at the sight of the Earthling's beauty.

"You're...exquisite"

"What business do you have here?" Endymion yelled loudly, never stepping away from his beloved Princess.

Beryl smiled and laughed as she attacked the princess, the prince pushed her out of harms way, and they both ran away seeking shelter.

Shukoroshi watched in a hidden place, in horror at the death that Beryl was causing.

"Brother, we must stop her!"

"NO! I will have Serenity"

The brothers watched the struggle before them, one in disgust, and the other in anticipation.

Serenity cried out to Endymion as he left her side to fight the monster before them.

"You are brave Prince of Earth, but you have no chance of winning"

"I must try..."

"Why? Come, be my King and we will rule the world together!" The evil demon Beryl smiled sweetly at the prince of Earth.

"No, I would never give up my only love for a monster like you!"

Beryl grit her teeth in anger.

"I see, it is her that is clouding your judgment"

The brothers watched as Beryl attacked the Princess once again, nearly killing her, but instead, the attack was blocked by another.

Serenity cried as she held her love in her arms. His blood formed a pool in her lap as it left his warm body, leaving a cold shell in it's place.

"Serenity....I will always...be...with...." His last breath left his chest, and Serenity howled loudly in pain. The two brothers watched in horror, as their princess shakily took Endymion's sword in her hands, and with one last hope that maybe she could be happy with her love in the afterlife, she plunged the cold steel of the Earth Prince's sword deep into her heart, ending her own life. Queen Serenity, seeing her daughter die in front of her eyes, gathered all her strength for one last attack with the Silver Crystal. It would kill her, she knew, but if she could somehow save the people she loved, it was worth it, and even if she couldn't...her daughter was the sole reason she lived, and with her daughters death...she no longer had a reason.

The two brothers gazed ahead in agony as their princess died by her lover's side, the shock of Serenity's death turning Shigo's hair snow white. They continued to look on in amazement as the Queen of the moon, sealed away Beryl, and sent all those that had died on the moon to Earth, to be reborn. After the war was over, all was silent on the moon. The brothers came out of hiding, and were startled when a booming voice was heard all around them.

"You two have caused the deaths of many, and have destroyed my people. For this you shall be punished for all eternity! You, Shigo, the one that has caused all this pain for a love that could never be, you will forever walk the Earth, searching for the one who will NEVER love you, and thirsting for the life of all those around you. And you, Shukoroshi, the one who's inaction may have caused the deaths of two worlds, you will also live for an eternity, and will only find rest, when you find the courage to punish the one that has forsaken you. I have spoken"

Flashback

"We were punished by a being higher than our own mythical gods, and we are still being punished to this day"

"You mean, you and Shigo are...

"Yes, we are the two brothers"

"I don't buy this for a second"

Darien rose to his feet in annoyance.

"Princes and princesses, magic and punishment from the gods...it sounds like something from a fairy tale!"

"It isn't, Darien, in fact it is all too real"

"Assuming that you are telling the truth, what does any of this have to do with Serena!?"

"She is the reborn Moon Princess...she is the one my brother has been searching for, for so many years"

Serena gasped, then began to laugh.

"This is a really nice joke you're playing here Dar, but I have to go home now"

She began to walk towards the door when Shukoroshi grasped her arm painfully.

"This isn't a joke, Serena" Serena yelped in pain before pulling her arm away holding it closely to her body.

"And what about you, if you were punished too, then aren't you some sort of monster as well?" She asked angrily, still rubbing her arm.

"No, I was given eternal life, in order to right the wrongs I committed with my inaction, but I am not like my brother"

"Then what about me?" Darien interjected, still unsure of what he had become.

Shukoroshi looked a Darien with a glint of regret in his eyes.

"You would be dead if he realized who you are, you must be a mistake...he thought he could use you to get to her" He stated flatly motioning towards Serena.

"What do you mean? What's happened to Darien?"

"He changed me...into whatever he is that night that we were attacked...I suppose I'm a vampire " Sorrow laced with anger filled his voice as he spoke softly to Serena, as if he were ashamed. Serena fell to her knees weakened by all that was happening around her.

"I...I don't understand...WHY!? Why is all this happening!?"

"Shigo was never meant to pass on his curse, but as the first hundred years went by, he became lonely...his loneliness became evil, and he made a pact with something so ancient it has no name...he made a pact so he could pass on his curse, and have eternal companions, but he's never actually made another one until now..."

"Wha...what is he then!? He is actually a vampire? "

Darien turned around abruptly; closing his eyes when Shukoroshi answered Serena's question.

"He is like my brother...a vampire would be a popular term for them"

"A vampire...?"

"You said I would be dead if he realized who I was, what did you mean?"

"You are Prince Endymion, if my brother had known, he would have crushed you on sight...in his mind you are the only thing standing between him and his princess. "

"Endymion? You're crazy I'm Darien Chiba....D.A.R.I.E.N " He shouted loudly, letting his fear turn into an irrational fury. He knew what he was saying had some truth to it...at least the vampire part was true.

"Am I? The only reason you aren't dead is because he thought he could use you, he..."

"He turned me into this so he could control me, but it didn't work, I know all that, but why didn't it work? "

"It should've worked...but, you are not a normal human"

Serena looked at Darien too overloaded with information to pull herself up from the floor

"You are the Prince of Earth, and therefore have special powers, powers you've always had"

"I don't know what you're talking about" Serena noted that Darien sounded like he was lying when he made his last statement.

"Why do you think you were the only one to survive your parents death" Darien, angered, rose his voice to Shukoroshi.

"How do you even KNOW about my parent's death!?" Shukoroshi smirked at him.

"Did you not just think 'is that how I was able to heal so fast after the accident....it killed my parents, it should have killed me as well.'" His smirked turned into a cocky smile when Darien's eyes widened.

"Mind reading...one perk I did get from this curse." Serena stared on in disbelief and confusion.

"Darien, I don't understand what's going on" She could feel the warm tears spilling over onto her cheeks. She was so afraid and confused, could the story Shukoroshi was telling be true? And if so, who was she really, Serena Tsukino, or some ancient Moon Princess that was in love with Darien of ALL people.

"When I was a child, my parents died in a car accident, I was the only one to survive, but I lost my memories in the process. According to the Doctors, I should have died on impact...they said it was a miracle"

"The only reason you survived, is the same reason why my brother couldn't completely turn you...you can heal yourself, can't you?"

Darien looked up at Shukoroshi in shock. 'How could he possibly know that?'

"Ye....Yes, I've been able to manipulate the energy around me since I was a child, but that has nothing to do with being the Prince of Earth"

"It has everything to do with it! You and Serena both are guardians of two different worlds, but you have been blessed by the Earth with many gifts, which she has not been given, because you are Earth's guardian"

"I don't believe any of this, I'm going to bed..." Darien abruptly turned his attention from Serena and Shukoroshi and walked began to walk to his bedroom.

"It saddens me to see that if my brother had just waited, the love you shared with his princess wouldn't have lasted"

Darien froze. Serena looked up at Shukoroshi, her mind clouded with questions.

"The way you tell the story, she was never _his_ princess." Darien answered over his shoulder, taking Shukoroshi's comment more personally then he probably should have.

"Serena, are you tired?" He asked the shivering blond over his shoulder. She looked exhausted. Her pale skin worried Darien, he knew she needed to rest with all that had gone on, but he didn't want her to leave.

Serena wordlessly shook her head yes. Darien walked to her and helped her back up to her feet, taking her small hand in his larger one, and leading her to his bedroom.

"I'll wake you up in the morning, but you need some rest for now"

"OK" She nodded , and followed his back as he left her in his room alone. She slept restlessly that night needless to say.

"You _are_ in love with her" Shukoroshi followed Darien with curious green eyes. Could this man truly be the reincarnation of Prince Endymion? He definitely had the same ebony hair, and dark blue eyes, but wasn't Endymion and Serenity's love timeless? If he was Endymion, how could he not lover her....if he was truly a _man_ how could he not love her?

"I am not in love with her, ask her yourself, we _never_ get along!" Darien spoke softly as to not wake Serena.

"Yet, you almost died for her the night she was attacked"

"What was I supposed to do, run?"

"Any normal person would have thought more of his own life over that of a person's he did not care for" Darien chuckled softly, then sighed in annoyance.

"I care about her, I just don't love her..."

"One day, you'll loose her, then you will regret your pride fullness, but until then, it would be best if you didn't get too close to her"

"Why?" Darien sighed loudly. What else could this man possibly say to him tonight to make his life any worse.

"As a vampire, everything about you is heightened, your sense of hearing, smell, touch, your...more private impulses, your thirst...if you get too close to her, you could kill her" BINGO! That did it.

"It would never happen, I would NEVER hurt her " Darien stated in denial.

"You don't control the thirst, it controls you, now do as I say, or you will be putting her in danger" Darien thought it over carefully. Nothing was worth hurting her...nothing.

"...I'll do it"

The next morning, Serena woke up to Darien's voice calling her.

"Wha...what time is it?" Serena asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It's almost five"

"AM!?" Suddenly anger took over and she frowned deeply.

"Come on, the suns rising in another hour or so, we should get going now...that way, I can sneak you back into your house, and no one will know you were gone last night"

Serena nodded accepting his logic, and groggily stepped from the bed. She rinsed her face off in his bathroom, then they both left for her house.

"Darien, do you think what he said was true?"

"I don't know, but they believe it, so for the time being we must believe it too"

"What about you being a vampire?" He knew that question was going to be next.

"...something has happened to me, that's all I know"

Serena gasped.

"But, if you are then won't you turn to dust when the sun rises!?"

"No, apparently vampires are only weakened by sunlight, not killed by it. Remember, I was at the arcade in the morning"

"Oh, yeah...what about crosses and Holy Water, and..."

Serena fell silent when she noticed Darien smiling at her...enthusiasm.

"What's so funny?" She asked oblivious to the humor in her child like asking of questions.

"Nothing, it's just that you're always so cheerful" He flashed her a genuine smile. One she had only seen when he won one of their arguments.

"What about you, you're always such a jerk, but ever since yesterday..you've been so"

"Hey, meatball head! Don't start worrying about me!"

She smiled at his attempt to be in a lighter mood, she always felt a warm feeling when he smiled, but she didn't quite understand it.

"Are you OK, your hearts beating kind of fast"

Was it? Her heart was beating faster. She wonder for a moment why her heart would begin to race when he smiled at her, but then another question formed. How could he hear her heart beating!? She looked at him surprised, but received no answers in his also surprised face.

"I...I can hear your heart beat..."

"Darien..how?"

"Shukoroshi said my senses would be heightened, but I never thought it would be anything like this..."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, neither of them knowing what could be said to calm the other's fears. When they reached her house, Serena snuck in the back door without making a noise, and up to her room. When she got there, she was surprised to see an expression of anger on her cat's face. She dismissed the vehement look of the cat as a figment of her imagination, and got into her bed for a few hours of sleep, before she had to go to school.

**To be continued...**

**Now you know Shukoroshi's story, I wonder how you like the WHOLE story. I like reading things with complicated plots, but I'm not sure if I'm good at writing them, so if you can give me any feedback at all, it would be appreciated. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Crimson Moon: Part Four  
****By: SalrAnime**

No need for intros, I hope you like it blasé bla...normal disclaimers apply.

Darien awoke from his slumber two hours late for school, but instead of raising from his bed, he knocked the alarm clock into the adjacent wall.

"I have too much stuff on my mind to worry about school right now" He said while snuggling deeper into his sheets. Serena's scent of strawberries and honey lulled him into an almost instant slumber that was interrupted by Shukoroshi.

"I guess you aren't getting up today" He said almost feeling sorry for the young boy before him.

"Shukoroshi!? What are you doing here, I thought you were watching Serena!" Darien jumped out of bed in a panic.

"I was but..."

"Forget about it, I'll go" He said angrily. If anything happened to her.....

"Darien..."

"How could you let her go off alone!?"

"He won't attack her today!"

Darien stopped, and turned to Shukoroshi.

"Why won't he?"

"He'll know we're watching her, he won't want to get into another struggle so soon, and he's weak right now"

Darien laid back down on the bed feeling calmed, and tried to sleep again.

"I'm going back to sleep then"

Shukoroshi chuckled slightly.

"You say you don't love her, but you're so willing to fight for her.

"I...she's more like a kid sister to me"

"If you find your kid sisters attractive, then I guess you have more to worry about then just what's going on now"

Darien sighed.

"You know what I mean"

"No I don't, I've loved her for over a millennium, and I've only been in her presence a few times...it must be hard for you to control your feelings around her, when you don't understand what you're feeling"

Shukoroshi left Darien on his bed wide awake starring at the ceiling, thinking. Would he ever actually think of a sister as blindingly beautiful?

"Serena, have you heard on the news?"

"Heard about what, Molly?"

"People all over the city have been found with their blood drained completely from their bodies"

"Yeah Serena, they've found five bodies in all, the police think it's some kind of serial killer, but they can't figure out how their blood's completely drained, I think it's aliens from another world doing test on us humans" Melvin popped up from nowhere as usual, scarring Molly and Serena with his familiar annoying voice.

"SHUT UP, MELVIN!...Anyway, he's right about everything except for the alien part"

"Five people dead...."

Molly looked at her friend with worry.

"Serena, are you ok, you just got so pale"

Serena turned to her friend and put on a fake smile.

"I'm fine Molly"

Molly knew her friend was holding back something, but she smiled back warmly knowing that whatever it was, Serena would be OK.

"Hey, Luna!" The black cat turned to see her old friend Artemis running towards her.

"Artemis!"

Luna and Artemis had become closer over the years that the scouts had been inactive. Without the scouts having their memory, they had no one to talk to but each other.

"Luna, have you heard about the murders happening around here?"

"Yes, do you think it could be the nagaverse?"

"I don't know, I don't think so though, the negaverse always took energy, not blood"

"Do you think it could be a new enemy?"

"Yes, but whatever it is, we shouldn't awaken the scouts yet, they're so happy now, we should know for sure what it is before we awaken them"

"Yes, you're right...but....Serena didn't come home last night"

Artemis was shocked. She was normally always home by 10pm. What could she possibly have been doing?

"Where was she!?"

"I don't know, but something's happening..."

"It may have been nothing, I mean she is getting older, maybe she just felt like staying out"

"Until five in the morning!?" The white cat's eyes got huge.

"FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!...I see what you mean..."

"Her parents didn't notice, she sneaked back in the house before anyone was awake...she seemed preoccupied, she was thinking pretty hard about something"

"Thinking!? Serena?...it must be pretty serious..."

When Serena got out of school, she immediately made her way to Darien's apartment, she wanted to ask him some questions. She was startled when a black cat jumped from a fence onto her shoulder.

"OH!...Luna, what are you doing here?" Serena asked surprise to see her black kitty.

"MEOOOWW" Was Serena's reply.

Serena smiled and continued her way to Darien's apartment. Luna was confused 'were is she going, she normally meets with the girls at the arcade after school' by the time they made it to Darien's apartment, Luna was even more intrigued. 'Did they get their memories back!?' Luna was shocked to see a man with dark hair and green eyes answer Darien's door when Serena knocked.

"Shukoroshi, Where is..." Serena began, but cut her question off abruptly as her eyes met with the most intense dark blue she had ever seen. His eyes engulfed her. There was no explanation! It was like she was in a trance. Actually, Serena almost panicked when she realized she WAS in a trance. What was he doing to her?

"Serena..." Was she in a trance? Darien looked deeper into her eyes, feeling like he may be able to know all her secrets if he only searched a little deeper. Darien suddenly pulled away when he began to become aware of an intense hunger growing inside his body. It was like a thirst that only she could quench, but he would never hurt her. Serena shook her head as if to clear it, then began to question Darien as if nothing had just happened.

"Darien, do you know anything about the bodies they've found around the city?"

Luna was surprised that she would ask Darien, 'Darien...what would he know about it!?'

"No, I hadn't even heard about it, you don't think that...I"

"I...I wasn't sure, I mean I didn't think so, but.... "

'Would they stop talking in code!?' Luna thought in aggravation.

"It's my brother, in order to survive, he must feed his hunger" Shukoroshi looked at Darien, and followed his gaze back to Serena.

"Darien, are you OK?"

Serena looked up at him and saw how hard he was breathing. He was staring at her intently, like he wanted to devour her. He looked like a drug addict that just saw his next fix, and it scared her.

"Darien...?" She asked in a timid voice.

"Serena, leave" Darien stated the command softly, as if trying to keep himself from loosing control of....something.

"Darien, are you .....? " She took a concerned step towards him, and he stepped back as if she was an approaching inferno.

"He's right, you should leave" Shukoroshi stated flatly, while taking her hand and leading her to the exit. Serena looked at the two men puzzled.

"Darien what's..."She took her arm from Shukoroshi's and began to once again make her way to Darien's side when he suddenly yelled at her.

"Serena, NOW!" She jumped at his booming voice and left his apartment without another word. Once she was gone, Darien fell to the couch in his living room, holding his head in his hands.

"I told you...the thirst controls you" Shukoroshi felt a deep pity for the man that sat weekend before him.

"So what do I do about it?" Darien needed to know what he could do to control his hunger. He never thought it would be so intense and difficult to control himself. But the way it burned in him...it was so intense. Since he has been alive, he had never felt a passion so intense burning inside of him. Tasting her was the only thing that would put out the fire that burned inside of him, he knew it, and at that moment he understood, he was a danger to Serena. Shukoroshi pulled the same flask he had the day before out of Darien's refrigerator, and handed it to him.

"You drink...that's the only way to end it. "

"Where are you getting this from?" Darien touched the cool metal of the flask as he eyed Shukoroshi suspiciously.

"It isn't hard for me to sneak into blood banks, it isn't blood from those five people if that's what you think"

Darien looked at the man satisfied by his answer, and drank in large gulps from the flask given to him. The rich liquid disgusted and satisfied Darien at the same time, but he couldn't understand why he still burned for the small blond that had been in his apartment earlier. Even despite the satisfaction of hi thirst, he could still feel a fire deep within that wanted no one else's blood but Serena's.

"I can't do this forever, I'll kill myself before I live like this"

"There is a way to reverse what he's done"

"How?"

"In order to lift the curse, you must kill the one that passed the curse onto you"

"So if Shigo dies..."

"You'll become human again, and I will finally find my peace in death"

Luna was not satisfied, she knew something was going on, but since nothing solid was said, she wasn't sure _what_ was going on. 'I swear I've seen that Shukoroshi person somewhere before' the feeling of familiarity was relentless as Luna sat perched on her owner's shoulder. Serena walked to the arcade, determined to work away some of her stress on a video game.

"Hey, Serena" Andrew gave Serena an award winning smile as she entered the arcade.

"Hi, Andrew" Normally, Serena would have been ecstatic to see him, and even though his smile did make her feel a little bit better, she just wasn't as satisfied seeing him as she thought she would be. Andrew must have noticed; he walked to the game next to her, and sat down across from her.

"So, what's going on?"

"Nothing much, I'm just..." (sigh)

"Serena what's wrong?" Andrew frowned feeling concern for the small girl next to him.

"Nothing's wrong, really" She put on a fake smile again, that slowly faded into surprise when Darien walked into the arcade. Andrew noticed the change in her expression and smiled.

"Has Darien been teasing you again? " Andrew asked suddenly feeling protective of the girl. He knew his long time friend could sometimes be a jerk, but to this girl he _always_ managed to be in rare form.

"No....not exactly " She stared intently at her lap, being afraid that if she looked at Andrew, he would see how sad she really was. Serena was surprised to hear Darien's voice as he said hi to his old friend Andrew and began to make his way towards the two of them. Andrew walked over to Darien when he waved to him, meeting him halfway.

"Hey, Darien, what's going on?"

"nothing really, it's just.....is she ok ?"

"Who do you...OH! She's fine! " Andrew realized he was speaking of Serena. " Andrew couldn't believe Darien was actually concerned for Serena, they hated each other!

'I never thought I could worry about her like this' Darien thought to himself. He couldn't stop watching her, but she wouldn't look at him. He knew it was on purpose, and for some reason he took it as a challenge, he would make her look. Darien was mentally startled at the intensity of his private challenge. 'What is happening to me'

"You should talk to her" Andrew interrupted his thoughts.

"What?" He asked as if coming out of a daze.

"You should go talk to her, something's going on between you two, and I'm not sure what it is, but whatever it is it's about time it happened"

Darien looked at his friend embarrassed.

"What do you mean!?"

"It's been three years since you two first met, and ever since then you haven't gone on a date with another girl, you haven't talked to another girl, I haven't even seen you look at another girl for more than a second since you met her, Mina and I always used to joke about you two getting together but..."

"Andrew, it isn't like that, it's more complicated"

Andrew smiled as he walked away to help out a new customer.

"Yeah, I guess you two _are _arch enemies...right?"

Darien asked himself that question over and over again, but he couldn't think of an answer. He watched Serena as she left the arcade, without saying a word to him, and he followed close behind her.

"Why won't you talk to me?" He asked genuinely hurt.

"Why did you kick me out?" She turned angrily to face him. She was already scared and confused, the last thing she needed was for the only man she trusted to turn on her.

"Serena..."

"Is it because you killed those people?"

He froze for a moment, and caught up to her stopping her where she stood, both hands on her shoulders.

"I _never_ killed anyone" He stated sounding more angry at her accusation than he meant to.

"Then why are you OK? You're a vampire now, you gotta eat don't you?"

Darien looked into her eyes, trying to find why she was so angry at him.

"Why are you trying to hurt me, I don't understand."

The question left Serena speechless, she had no answer for him. She just didn't want to get to close to him, he was already jerk, and now....he was dangerous. Even more dangerous to her if she let herself forget just what he had become.

"You know I wouldn't hurt anyone, but you're still trying to make yourself distrust me...why?"

"You...why did you just kick me out like that?"

He was afraid that the truth would make matters worse, so he lied.

"I had to talk to Shukoroshi about something, he didn't want you in the room"

Darien began to feel guilty when he realized that his coldness had hurt her. 'Why do I care?' She rose her eyes to his, and his met hers' back. They said nothing. Darien began to become aware that he was once again searching Serena's eyes for a secret she didn't even know she held, once again putting her into a trance. He suddenly released the trance, what he was doing was wrong and he knew it.

"What?...that's the same thing Shukoroshi..."

"I'm sorry, I don't know the extent of my powers yet, I didn't mean to"

Darien hated being able to feel her on so many levels. He could hear the rapid beating of her heart and her soft quickened breathing. He could smell the perfume of her body all around him, but those weren't the worst things. For that brief moment that they had been locked into each others gaze, he could feel what she felt; the warmth of something new bubbling up inside of her, a tingle that seemed to cover her whole body when he touched her. It drove him crazy to feel what she felt...

"Darien" He was startled to hear Shukoroshi behind him, starring at them from a distance.

"I'll walk her home tonight, you just go back to the apartment and get some rest" He was thankful to be away from her for a moment. She was becoming like a drug to him.

Darien nodded, and nodded again when Shukoroshi whispered in his ear as he walked passed him.

"Remember what I said about getting too close"

"Serena, are you ready to go home?" She glanced briefly at Darien before nodding her head yes.

"Yeah...yes I'm ready"

Serena turned and watched as Darien left for a moment before turning back around and following Shukoroshi to her house.

"What just happened between you two there?" Shukoroshi asked referring to the five minutes Serena and Darien spent starring at each other like they were in some sort of trance.

"Nothing...I don't know..." Serena answered, unsure of what had happened herself.

"Well, you may want to be a little more careful around him"

"What do you mean?"

"Did he tell you why he kicked you out today?"

"He told me you two had something to talk about in private...was he lying to me? "

"......I suppose he felt like he was protecting you from the truth" Serena stopped walking. 'What was the truth?'

"Then why...why did he make me leave?" Shukoroshi sighed loudly, momentarily hesitating, wondering if he should tell her the truth. He finally decided she needed to know.

"His senses are all heightened, he can sense everything about you, your emotions, your scent, your heartbeat......it's like he's a master hunter now"

"Hunter?"

"He kicked you out because the thirst was taking him over...he wanted..." He was trying to find a tender way to tell her she was in danger when she was with him, but....

"I don't want to hear anymore" She abruptly cut him off, and began to walk away, not wanting to hear more, but Shukoroshi needed her to understand.

"Serena, it isn't his fault" She turned to face him, to stop him from talking, but it didn't work.

"You have to understand, he has no control over it"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, OK?!" Tears were once again forming in her eyes and Shukoroshi softened at the sight of her pain. She had heard enough for today.

"OK, how was school today?"

Serena smiled

"I don't want to talk about that either"

He smiled at her, feeling the warmth that she had always made him feel come over his heart again. They spent the rest way talking about pleasant things that took them away from the reality of what was happening around them.

Darien sat up in his bed when he heard Shukoroshi come back in.

"Did you get her home OK?"

"Yes, she's fine just a little stressed" Shukoroshi sat on the plush suede sofa and began to watch TV, being around her always exhausted him for some reason.

"I think I scared her today..."

"She's fine, she just shouldn't be that close to you anymore..."

"Did you tell her...why I made her leave"

"Yes"

Darien sighed loudly and stretched out next to Shukoroshi on the sofa.

"It's probably better that she knows the truth..."

"It's better this way, she knows not to entice you now"

"She didn't...entice me, it's just...that....I can feel everything about her, and it drives me insane. I've never felt another human so intimately" He just couldn't take it anymore. This whole thing was a nightmare, all he wanted was to have the little annoying blond that he always swore he hated. Was this even really how he felt, or was just because of what had happened to him? And did he really want her, or just her blood, which if he took, would end her life forever. No, it would never end that way, he would kill Shigo and take back his humanity tonight. Then she would be safe.

"Shukoroshi Where can I find Shigo? " He was already getting dressed, and looking for whatever he could use as a weapon around his apartment.

"I'm not sure...why?" He had an idea of what Darien was thinking, but he couldn't possibly be that crazy.

"I'm ending this tonight" Shukoroshi laughed at Darien's declaration. He is that crazy.

"You couldn't possibly..."

"I'm serious!" Darien raised his voice, not wanting to hear that he was completely insane.

"Darien, if you leave to fight Shigo the way you are now, you'll die" Darien said nothing, he stood where he was for a short while, then walked out the door.

"I'll find him myself" Shukoroshi stopped him at the door.

"You're too weak"

"Get out of my way" Darien pushed Shukoroshi aside, only to be grabbed back by inhuman strength.

"I said you're too weak" Darien pulled himself away, but was struck to the ground by Shukoroshi's fist. Darien rose again and hit Shukoroshi knocking him into a nearby wall, and ran from the apartment. He didn't know where he was running to, but he didn't stop running. He always had control over everything that happened in his life, but now he felt completely powerless. He kept running aimlessly when he saw Serena's hair out the corner of his eye. He turned and watched her running towards his apartment. He followed her until he caught up with her.

"Serena?" She turned around slightly startled, and stopped running falling into his arms. He didn't move, he just stood there feeling the warmth of her body on his chest. He began to feel wet warmth soaking through his shirt.

"You're crying...why?" He was suddenly worried about the young girl in his arms. He forgot all about Shigo, nothing mattered to him now but her.

"I...I don't know what to do, I'm so scared, Darien" He looked around at their surroundings and began to guide her back to her house. It was getting late, and it was unsafe for her to be out on the streets past sunset. When they reached her house, she opened the door and invited him inside, he walked in reluctantly.

"Where are your parents?"

"My mother went out of town with my father on a business trip, Sammy's upstairs asleep"

She sat down on a couch across from the TV holding herself tight. Darien leaned on a wall next to the door.

"I shouldn't be here..." Serena looked up at him pleadingly, she didn't want him to leave.

"Darien, don't...leave me " She knew what Shukoroshi had said, but for some reason, she just couldn't accept that Darien was capable of hurting her.

"I won't leave, not just yet...I don't think I could if I wanted to"

"Why...what are you doing out so late, where were you going?" Serena asked softly.

"Me!? I can take care of myself, where were you going?"

Serena looked down at her hands.

"I wanted to see you..."

Darien looked at Serena, stunned by her honesty...and her beauty. He was starring at her now...her long blond hair falling next to her thighs like two silken ropes of gold, her cheeks pink and tear stained from crying. She was shivering slightly from a fear he wished she didn't have.

"Serena, are you afraid...of me?"

She looked at him again, his eyes locking with hers'.

"I...I don't...know..." Honestly, she just wasn't afraid of him, but she knew she knew she should be. However, some unknown reason, her inability to say "no" hurt Darien more than any of the physical pain he had gone through in the last few days.

"I should really go" Darien was turning the door handle when Serena's hand, placed gently over his, stopped him.

"Don't go" One thing she couldn't lie to herself about was that she did feel safe only with him. Over the past few days, Serena realized that one thing, in the whole mess of what was going on, remained stable...Darien's urge to protect her. She knew that she should let him go, even fear him staying, but she couldn't, she felt safe with him. He turned to face her, unsure of why he wouldn't just leave. Her morning sky blue eyes grabbed his midnight sky eyes, and they didn't let go.

"Serena...I don't know what's happening to me, but I have to leave, now" She looked away, releasing him from her spell.

"What if something happens tonight?" She said in a panic, trying to find any reason to get him to stay.

"It won't your inside, he can't get in your house unless you invite him in"

She chuckled sarcastically.

"The rest of the myths turned out to be false, so why is it that he can't just walk in?"

Darien looked away from her. He knew he should have already left her house.

"He doesn't know where your house is"

"He found me before...what if he followed us while we were walking back"

"I would have noticed"

"What if you didn't?"

Darien became slightly angry that she would ignore the danger he could put her in, and as coldly as he could, he stated the danger he represented for her.

"...I could kill you Serena, I could snap at any moment, and drain you completely, why don't you want me to leave!?" She looked almost frightened for a moment, and he felt a small victory, maybe now she would make him leave.

"...I feel safer when you're close to me..." His heart skipped. What has it he was feeling from her, fear, comfort, and something else...it was that warm feeling again that he didn't understand. Did she even understand it?

"...It isn't safe for me to stay here, you said it yourself, and you don't know if you're afraid of me"

She looked down at her hands, Darien could see the teardrops splashing on her tightly clasped fist. And he gave in.

"Just tonight...I'll stay" Anything to make her tears stop. She still didn't look up at him, but she was obviously pleased. She went upstairs, and returned with sheets, and a blanket.

"I'll set the sofa bed up for you"

"Let me do that" He took the bedding from her. She stepped aside, and watched him. She didn't know why she had wanted him to stay so badly, but she knew it was more than the fact she felt safe with him...there was something, more.

"Hey, meatball head, quit looking so sad, I'm staying!"

She smiled.

"It seems like a thousand years since the last time you called me meatball head"

"Everything'll work out, then I'll forget your name again and you'll be meatball head once more"

She smiled wider, and Darien smiled, pleased that he had lightened the mood a little. Serena yawned loudly.

"Are you tired?"

"A little"

"Go to bed, I'll be here...I won't leave"

She smiled again, and nodded her head.

"You promise you'll be here in the morning?"

"I won't leave until you tell me to"

"OK, if you need me, my rooms the first one the right, can't miss it, nothing but pink and bunnies "

"OK, goodnight" He smiled at her attempt at joke.

"Good night" She went up to her room, leaving Darien to his thoughts. Something was going on between them, he knew that much, but he wasn't sure if it was real, or if it was because he was a vampire. Shukoroshi had told him that all his senses would be heightened, and it wasn't until that happened that he began to want Serena so badly...thirsted for her so badly. But, everything about her made his heart jump, she was kind and caring, gentle and giving, even her childishness made him want to be close to her. And she was beautiful, he never would admit it to himself before, but he was attracted to her, since the first day he saw her he didn't want to take his eyes away.

"I just need rest..."

Serena couldn't stop thinking about him. He was such a jerk at times, but he could be so sweet. He protected her, even when he knew he couldn't win. She petted the cat that was sleeping at the foot of her bed.

"Is this what love feels like, Luna?"

Luna purred in response.

"Nah ...I still think he's a jerk. "

She laid in bed with her eyes closed trying to sleep. She sat upright when she heard a noise in the corner of her room. She looked in the direction of the disturbance, relieved when Darien stepped from the shadows.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you"

"I wasn't asleep, you just startled me, that's all"

"I couldn't sleep either, so I thought I would come up here and check on you"

Luna watched them with one eye opened, not moving from her spot on the bed.

"You couldn't sleep?"

"I wasn't really tired"

"Oh..."

Serena, on impulse, reached her hand out to him, and he took it reluctantly. He walked to the side of her bed, still holding her hand, and kneeled down next to her bed with his cheek on the pillow next to hers. Luna was confused. 'What's Darien doing here? And what is that strange energy that's coming from him, it's not his normal energy'

"Lie down with me?" Did she really just ask him that!? What was going on with her!?

"I shouldn't, I shouldn't even still be here" He knew he should think her question was odd, but he heard her mind think it even before she said it, he knew it was coming. Then there was the fact that he himself came there wanting to sleep with her. Darien wanted to hold her, making her feel safe enough to fall asleep in his arms, but he didn't trust himself. She reached out her other hand and brushed a dark strand of hair from his forehead.

"Please...I feel safe in your arms" She stroked his cheek gently, feeling like everything was just a dream, she was acting so unlike herself. He closed his eyes at the touch of her skin against his, and nodded without opening his eyes. He climbed into the bed next to her, and pulled her close to his body, holding her tightly in his arms. He heard her sigh softly as she cuddled closer to him. Within minutes, they were both fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Crimson Moon: Part Five  
****By: SalrAnime**

Here is ANOTHER part to this series, it's getting pretty long, and I don't see the end coming very soon. Normal disclaimers apply.

Darien opened his eyes to Serena's smiling face.

"Good morning sleepy head"

"Good morning"

He touched her face; she responded by lightly caressing his hand.

"You stayed the whole night..."

"I told you I wouldn't leave"

She rested her head on his chest under his chin.

"Serena...I..."

She gasped when strong arms pulled her away from him. He reached out for her, but he couldn't touch her. Her screams echoed in his ears.

"I _will_ have her Prince of Earth...She will be mine!" The familiar green eyes and snow white hair made Darien leap into action. He wouldn't let him have _his _Serena.

"Shigo! NO, let her go!" She screamed his name, but he couldn't move to help her.

"Serena...SERENA!!!!"

He woke up in a cold sweat, still in Serena's bed. She looked at him with worried blue eyes.

"Darien, what's wrong, are you ok?"

"Nothing...just a bad dream...your brother'll be up soon, I should probably go" He stated while rising from the bed.

"No, it's ok, he never gets up before noon...I'll go make breakfast" Darien winced at the thought of actually eating her cooking. Last he checked, she could eat anything cooked, but when it came to actually doing the cooking...

"I'll go cook, you just stay here and relax, you've gone through a lot this week, just take a break" Darien smiled at Serena's confused face a he gently, yet firmly pushed her back into the bed.

"But, I should make it, you're my guest" She insisted.

"It's no problem, really" There was NO way he was going to get stuck having to eat her cooking.

"OK, I'll be down in a few minutes" She finally gave in. About thirty minutes later, Serena was stepping into the kitchen as Darien was just finishing breakfast, when the doorbell rang. Serena looked at the door momentarily puzzled.

"Who could that possibly be? Mom and Dad shouldn't be back yet. " Serena slowly walked to the door, and opened it to see four familiar girls with four very pissed faces.

"Where have you been, meatball head!?" Raye screamed at the top of her lungs, immediately stepping closer into Serena's face.

"Yes, we've looked everywhere for you, I even skipped cram school looking for you" Ami's usual bright smile, was replaced with a motherly frown. Serena noted that she seemed slowly to be encircled by the girls.

"I've been going to the arcade everyday waiting for you to come in" Serena rolled her eyes at Mina's "sacrifice" knowing that she probably spent the whole time playing Sailor V and flirting with Andrew.

"I was beating up every guy in town trying to find you" Lita smashed her fist into her open palm in a very intimidating way as she too took steps closer to Serena. The poor blond was trapped. All her friends were worried, tired, and pissed at her for doing it to them.

"I haven't..."

"Don't say you haven't been gone long, Serena" Raye cut off her attempt at an explanation.

"You haven't been in school for the past three days!"

"Ami's right, you're always late, but three days is a lot" Lita cosigned on Ami's earlier observation.

"Yeah, and your parents didn't notice, but you never came home Wednesday night, did you?" Mina had one eyebrow raised as if she wanted to imply something about her not returning home at night, but she let it drop instead.

"I got...uh..."

"The only reason your parents weren't going crazy looking for you is because Rei covered for you" Once again Ami sounded more like someone's mother than the super genius she really was.

"Yeah, meatball head, I told them you were sleeping over at the shrine"

"And I, being the actress I am, pretended to be you on the phone so they never knew" Mina dramatically raised her hand to her brow as if she were going to faint, before turning her attention back to Serena, and letting her face regain the scowl it held before.

"It isn't that far of a leap, Mina, you two _are_ exactly the same" Lita said matter of factly.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean, Lita?"

"Nothing, just that you took the arcade search while the rest of us took the town" Obviously, Lita was a little peeved that Mina got more flirt time than she did.

"I was just as worried as you, your just jealous, because I spent more time with Andrew" The blond and brunette were standing almost eye to eye with Lita just a few inches higher.

"Girls..." Serena's almost whispered, a little relieved that all the attention was away from her now.

"Lita does have a point though, you and the meatball head are a lot alike" Raye once again managed to make things worse just by speaking.

"Girls..." Serena got a little louder this time, peeved that Rei wouldn't stop calling her meatball head.

"Now your ganging up on me too Rei!?" Mina made a face like a trapped puppy that was going to get ran over by a car.

"GIRLS!!" Serena screamed this time, gaining the attention of all the girls, and immediately wishing she didn't.

"S...St....Stop f...fighting, I'm f..." She was trying not to stutter, but she was scared shitless, Raye looked like she was going to fry her to death with her stare any minute now. But then, of course Mina would spot the only guy in the room, and make Serena's situation go from critical to CRUCIAL.

"Hey Serena, what's Darien doing here?" Serena took a swift glance over to Darien, and saw the top of his ebony hair peaking from behind the kitchen counter. He sighed loudly and Serena could hear it all the way in the living room as he rose to his feet and left his ineffective hiding place.

"Hi guys..." Serena almost felt more sorry for him then she did for herself. He looked like he was facing a firing squad! Mina got a sneaky look on her face, and nudged Serena's arm as if implying something, but Serena ignored her friend, and quickly began to form an explanation for Darien's visit. As if there was an explanation for having your sworn enemy in your house when you both have obviously _just_ woken up, and you're still in your oh too cute bunny pajama's and matching slippers, _but_ she was going to try anyway.

"He...uh...he came over to show me his great cooking skills...yeah that's it" Serena stopped her nervous laughing when she saw Rei starring at him. He was still in the kitchen, behind a counter, and was watching them argue, but was shocked when Rei stopped talking and just starred at him.

"Darien?" She asked as if she wasn't quite sure if it was really him.

"Yes, Rei" He felt nervous under her gaze, it was like she knew something about him was different.

"Have you...changed something? " It was weird she knew, but ever since she was a child, she could feel when things weren't quite right, and this was one of those times.

Serena quickly jumped into action. Trying to draw Raye's attention away from Darien.

"New haircut! That's all Rei, you guys hungry?" The four girls all forgot about Serena's recent MIA status, and remembered they had all skipped breakfast to bitch Serena out.

"Sure!" The girls said in unison, they could find out what was really going on with Serena later.

"You both have black holes for stomachs..." Lita whispered under her breath, not completely willing to let her argument with Mina go so easily.

"Shut up Lita!" Mina growled back too hungry and tired to truly argue back.

Darien and Serena made the plates together in the kitchen. While the girls went to the dining room and chatted about the _real _reason Darien might be over Serena's house. Serena let her head drop in defeat. 'I knew they wouldn't buy it'.

"Rei knows something..." Darien stated firmly.

"She's a shrine priestess, she knows _everything_, she's psycho or something" Serena tried to make it seem like it wasn't that big of a deal, but the truth was she was a little worried too. Could the shrine priestess really sense that Darien was a vampire.

"I should get out of here before I raise any more suspicion" Serena nodded in agreement, and lead out to the dinning room with a stack of pancakes and a bottle of orange juice in one hand, while he held a platter of scrambled eggs and bacon.

"This looks like _I_ cooked it...Darien did you make this?" Lita was the first to state the obvious. There was no way Serena cooked it.

"Yeah, I cook from time to time, and speaking of time, I should.... "

"You know Serena didn't make it, she'd burn the whole house down!" Lita cut Darien to take a cheap shot at Serena.

"You're no better a cook than me, Mina" Serena shouted back, not completely believing she let those words come from her own mouth!

"Girls, please calm down and eat" Ami tried to be a peace keeper, but with this bunch...there was no peace.

The girls were arguing, while Rei was still looking at Darien.

"Aren't you going to eat, Darien?" There was something different about him, but she just couldn't quite place it.

"I actually should be going...I have a mid-term to study for"

"It isn't mid-term time..." Darien had no come back for Rei, she had just caught him a lie that he couldn't get out of. He was relieved when he heard the doorbell ring.

"I wonder who that could be!" Serena said overly cheery, grateful once again for the distraction between Darien and Raye. Serena answered the door and immediately looked confused.

"What are you doing here?" Shukoroshi's sea green eyes looked back at Serena with worry.

"Have you seen Darien, he said he was going to fight Shigo last night, and I can't find him anywhere"

"Fight, Shigo?" She turned around, obviously upset.

"Darien, are you crazy!?" Shukoroshi let a sigh of relief escape his lips when he spotted the dark haired man standing in Serena's dining room unharmed.

Darien looked away from Serena, not knowing how to answer her question. She wouldn't understand why he was going to do it; there was no need in trying to explain, so he didn't. He simply let his eyes fall to the floor, not knowing where to begin.

"Serena, what's going on here?" Once again the petite blond was in the hot seat, and would rather burn than to try and come up with more lame excuses.

"Yeah, and who's that hot guy...he reminds me of my ex-boyfriend" Lita let her starry eyes blatantly check out Shukoroshi.

"Oh..nothing, just old school buddies you know...always have to settle old scores" Serena said while trying to shoo the two men quickly from her house. Then Raye had to get all priestessy again and ruin Serena's escape.

"Shigo...that's an odd name" Serena sighed again...Why could she just not SHUT UP!!!

"What do you mean, Rei?" Serena sighed yet another time. Why did Ami ALWAYS have to be the one to keep the question phase going longer?!

"It means after death...not exactly a name you would want to call your child" Shukoroshi grabbed Darien, and was immediately pushed away. Darien was still pissed about the other night, and he was really just getting sick of Shukoroshi trying to control him.

"Don't touch me, Shukoroshi I'm warning you!" Shukoroshi took a step back from Darien with his hands up in an offensive manner. He knew he was probably still made about the other night and he didn't want to make matters worse.

"That name as well, Shukoroshi...it means to kill ones master...Serena what's _really_ going on" Raye caught Serena's eyes, forcing her to look back at her and tell her what was really going, but Serena said nothing. How could she possibly began to explain, all her friends would think she was crazy anyway.

Luna was awakened by loud voices downstairs, and descended the stairs to see what was going on. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw the girls, interrogating Serena, and Rei starring at Darien and some guy with dark green eyes. The two men were on the verge of throwing blows. Now she knew Serena was keeping something from her.

Shukoroshi looked at Darien almost apologetically until, he realized that Serena was still in her Pajamas, she obviously had just woken up a few minutes ago, it was only 8:30 am, and Darien was still here....did he stay the night with her!?

"Were here all night!?" The question was really supposed to stay in his head in front of Serena's friends, but he couldn't hold it in, he told him not to get too close to her, but instead he slept with her the whole night...SLEPT WITH HER!

"Why do you care anyway...you aren't my master, you have no say over what I do!"

"DID YOU SLEEP WITH HER!? !" Serena just let her hands fly up in defeat as ALL of her friends gasped in unison and looked at her all at once with a "you did DARIEN!" look in their eyes.

"IT WASN"T LIKE THAT NOTHING HAPPENED" Serena yelled letting her usually small fragile voice give way to an exhausted angry one.

"Why would you want to know anyway, are you jealous" Shukoroshi suddenly flinched at his words. And Darien noticed. He was right, Shukoroshi had been in love with Serenity for hundreds of lifetimes, and even though he knew it was not meant to be, his heart still held on to the hope that maybe, just maybe one day she could love him too.

"You tell me to stay away from her, but I see the way you look at her, like you don't know when you'll loose control, it isn't me she needs to be afraid of, it's you " Shukoroshi felt slightly hurt by his words.

"I would never hurt her, I care for her more than you could ever imagine, besides I'm not your enemy Shigo is" The girls all glanced to Serena then back at Shukoroshi and Darien and sighed.

"It's just so romantic Serena, you have two guys fighting over you!" Mina the forever drama queen was to first to break a momentary and much needed silence.

"Don't get the wrong idea, as far as I'm concerned he can have meatball head" He said it out of anger, and as soon as he did, he regretted it. Serena's eyes filled with tears that almost spilled over, but instead she began to fume.

"DARIENYOUJERK!! I HATE YOU SO MUCH YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL YOU EGOTISTICAL ASS!!!!"

Suddenly it was just like old times. Serena felt like Darien was looking down at her, and Darien was too confused by the way her almost tears made him feel to admit he was wrong so instead he said nothing once more. Darien turned on his hills and left the house slamming the white oak door loudly behind him. Shukoroshi, now calm apologized to Serena, promising he would be back that night to check on her, and followed behind Darien to try to calm things down before it got way worse between the three of them. They needed to stick together now.

Serena sat on her sofa and let her head fall in her lap for a moment of piece before....

"Serena, what's really going on?" Of course it was Raye.

"And what just happened between you and Darien" Asked Mina, not buying the complete outburst between the two earlier.

"I saw it too Mina, definite sparks flying" Stated Lita, also sensing some....tension...between the two.

"Lita, Mina, please there is a more serious situation here" Ami stated genuinely worried for her closest friend.

"Come on Ami, it was just a fight just like every other fight between a man and woman. nothing more than a lover's quarrel" Once again the drama queen managed to make everything sound romantic and lovely.

"There _is_ something going on, or else I wouldn't have gotten such strong vibes" Raye stated bluntly, not trying to hide her somewhat odd ability to sense things.

Luna agreed with Rei. The others had all forgotten how strong her powers were, but she knew that Rei was rarely wrong. Luna watched Serena closely. She was definitely hiding something, but she looked so sad, that Luna felt no interest in revealing her secret.

"Then what did you feel Rei?"

"I'm not sure, Mina...it was weird, like Darien was something evil, but he himself was good..."

"What about the other guy?"

"He...he was....the same way...sort of "

"Hey Serena, girl are you OK?" Mina asked her as she sat on the couch still holding her head in her lap.

"I'm fine, I just don't want to talk about it "

"Serena what's wrong? You know you can always talk to us " It was Ami's worried voice this time, which tried to coax and relax Serena into sharing.

"Something is going on isn't it?" Lita asked noting the seriousness of Serena's usually goofy demeanor

"No...don't worry about me I'll be fine" Serena whispered.

"Serena tell us what's wrong, we'll protect you, we're your fr...."

"I don't want any of you involved in this...!"

"In what Serena?"

"Can you please leave now, I have to clean up" She was tired she just needed a break from the questions, since the girls had gotten there they had done nothing but argue. The truth was, she loved her friends, and normally she almost enjoyed their arguments, they could be funny sometimes, but right now just wasn't the time.

She walked to the door, and opened it motioning for all the girls to leave, but instead they all stood wide eyed at the man on the other side. Serena screamed when she turned to see Shigo's dark green eyes staring intently at her. Could this get ANY worse!?

"Wha...how did you find me?" She began taking shaky steps away from the man, but he just kept coming closer to her.

"True love will always find true love..." He whispered as he reached a cool finger out to touch Serena's soft pink lips.

"Hey, were you invited in? Get out of here now" Lita stated firmly noticing the fear in her friends' eyes. Sure the guy was cute, but he couldn't be good if he scared Serena so much she was truly shaking in her boots.

The man laughed at Lita's threat.

"It's so strange seeing warriors like you so weak now" He was sure of it, it was his princess and the Sailor Scouts, all stripped of their memories, and their powers. The once most feared group of women in the universe now stood before him as helpless as little girls.

"Weak!? I'll show you who's weak!" She began to lunge at the man thoroughly sure she could take him, but she stopped when Serena's shrill voice reached her.

"LITA DON'T!!!! He'll kill you"

Lita turned to her, finally fully realizing the gravity of the situation. This was no ordinary man, he truly was dangerous. The man began to laugh again.

"Actually, I'll kill all of them if you don't come with me" Serena gasped, and almost began to cry when her little brother began making his way groggily down the stairs, slowly towards her.

"Serena, tell your friends to be quiet, I'm trying to sleep" She prayed that Shigo would just let him go back upstairs, get into bed, and dream his stupid little dreams safely, but it wasn't to be. Shigo's eyes fixed on Sammy, and he swiftly made his way to the small boy to quickly for anyone to see.

"No...no DON'T!" She screamed, but it was too late, Shigo had the small boy by his neck.

"Is he your brother? You don't want him to die, do you?"

Tears streamed from Serena's eyes unchecked. Why was this happening to her, why couldn't she do something to stop it? Although, she thought, I can stop it.

"I'll go with you, I'll go just leave my brother and my friends alone" The pleaded desperately.

"Very well" Shigo smiled triumphantly and released Sammy, letting him fall to the floor, unconscious"

Shigo reached for Serena, but his hand was kicked away by Rei.

"It won't be that easy!"

Rei was wrong, it was that easy. Luna watched as all four of the former scouts were beat into submission by one person. There was nothing she could do but watch. Serena stood breathless as her friends were all beat, she was helpless. Luna immediately regretted the decision not to give them back their memories, but their was nothing she could do now.

"Stop! You said you would leave them alone!" She screamed finally when air returned to her lungs.

"They interfered...if it is any consolation, they will all live" Serena was shocked by his coldness. She ran to help her friends, and her brother, but she was only able to take two steps before Shigo's arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Luna tried to follow where the man was taking Serena, but he was just too fast. She decided to stay by the girl's side until they came to, then they would go see Darien.

"Serena? It's late you..." Darien stopped mid sentence when he opened his apartment door to see Serena's four best friends and her little brother standing in the doorway. The four girls all looked frantic, and they were holding themselves as if they had been hurt. Sammy looked almost as if he was in shock, tears were pouring from he eyes, but he wasn't quite crying. Then one thought flooded Darien's mind suddenly. Where is Serena?

"What...happened?"

"Serena...he took Serena"

Darien grabbed Lita's shoulders, and was instantly frantic himself.

"Who, Who took Serena?"

The girls were in tears. Darien looked to them for answers, but instead was hit with accusations.

"This is because of you isn't it? What happened to you has something to do with Serena doesn't it!?" Raye pointed a shaky finger in Darien's direction as her tears began to flow. Serena was so sweet and pure and kind to everyone. Whatever that man was going to do to her, she didn't deserve it, and she hated anyone that caused it to happen; even if it was her long time crush.

Darien said nothing. Shukoroshi answered for him.

"Actually, what he is, is because of Serena, he has nothing to do with what has happened, it would have happened anyway...Darien, are you ready to leave?" Shukoroshi made the statement matter of factly as he grabbed his black trench coat and tossed Darien his usual green blazer.

"Yes" Darien answered simply. There was no need for questions, he already knew they were going to save Serena. "All of you wait here, we'll bring her back" He commanded.

"NO, We're going..." Ami uncharacteristically screamed. She had been quite up until now.

"STAY HERE! You'll only get in our way "

Ami said nothing, Darien's angered response surprised her back into submission.

"Shukoroshi, do you know where he would have her?" He asked her as he closed his apartment door and made his way down the hall with Shukoroshi following closely behind.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea"

"I need more than an idea, we need to get to her...he wouldn't hurt her would he?"

"No, but he might change her"

Darien's eyes widened at Shukoroshi's answer, he found himself running faster. The two men ran down the dark streets of Tokyo, hopping that when they came to their destination, the woman they both loved would be safe, unharmed and still human.

**To be continued...**

Was it a little better? It looks like I'm coming a little closer to the end, but I still think there are at LEAST three more chapters coming in this series (WOW, never written one that was so long)Anyway, make sure you go to all my shrines on this page, so you can check out my other fics (although I only have like two more)


	6. Chapter 6

**Crimson Moon: Part Six****  
By: SalrAnime**

Like usual, all normal disclaimers apply. I'm sorry it's been taking me so long to do ANYTHING with this page, but school started. In a mater of fact, I should probably be studying for my Bio exam Monday (especially considering I've skipped like 4 lectures ) Anyway, enjoy the fic and give me feedback! 

The rain fell hard in the streets of Tokyo, blinding the two men that ran too fast to be seen by human eyes. They didn't really know where they were running, or if it were already too late, but they had to try. 

"Shukoroshi, where would he take her!?" Darien asked still sounding like he were in a slight panic. 

"Eden Park" Shukoroshi stated. 

"Eden Park? Why would he take her there?" 

"Do you know why the park is named Eden?" Darien shook his head, no. Shukoroshi couldn't believe he had never heard the story of Eden Park, even if he didn't remeber it from his past. 

"The man that founded the park, he had a vision when he saw it, he told his family of the vision, but they didn't believe him, they thought he was crazy...he wouldn't let it drop though, so the family, which was very rich, bought the land to shut the man up" 

"What was the vision of?" Darien inquired, never hearing nof this story before. 

"It was a vision of a beautiful garden, filled with red roses, and a lake filled with snow white lilies, he thought, this must be Eden, so he named the park Eden...he was right, Eden park is where the Earth Palace was located over a thousand years ago. " 

"I still don't belive any of this, but you're saying he's taking her back to where he first met her, right?" 

"Yes" 

Serena awoke on a bed of white flowers, surrounded by clear blue sparkling water. She gasped when she noticed her usual clothing had been replaced by a pure silk white gown that hung to her every curve as if it were made special just for her. Her usual odango styled hair, had been released and spilled like liquid gold all over the white flowers below her. If she hadn't been so terrified, she may have realized that she was exceptionally beautiful in the pale moonlight that night. 

"I thought this wardrobe was better fit for a princess" Serena froze at the voice she was begining to hate. Slowly, she brought her blue eyes up to meet green ones, and breathed her captures name. 

"Shigo..." The man let a smile creep slowly accross his face as he began to advance twords his prize. She began to try and form an escape plan, but she knew it was hopeless. He was too fast, if she tried to run, he would catch her, that was a fact. And there was no way to fight him, or out smart him. Her only hope was to be saved. She let a single tear run down her flushed pink cheek as she thought a single name over and over again. Darien. 

"You're shaking, there's no need for you to fear me, I would never hurt you...I just want to be with you...forever" He pulled her chin up and looked deep into her blue eyes. His smile suddenly turned into a scowl. 

"You say nothing, but your heart still calls his name...Endymion. Endymion was a fool to fail in protecting you, he let you die! Yet you still love him! " His fist swung at an invisible enemy in an obvious rage that frightened Serena even more. 

"You, you' re crazy, I don't even know anyone named Endymion " Shukoroshi let a sick sinister laugh chill Serena to the bone. 

"No Endymion you say? how about...Darien. Is that the name that your mind calls for?" Serena boldly answered his question. 

"Yes, it is" He began to shake with anger again, and Serena momentarily thought her life just may be over. However, he suddenly stopped moving and let a geniune smile grace his lips as he stepped to her and softly kissed her on her forehead. 

"It doesn't matter, once you receive my blood, you'll forget about him." He took her by her waitst pulling her to her feat. She began to cry almost unchecked when he stepped behind her and began to to whisper in her ear, occassionally letting his lips touch the soft skin of her neck. 

"Look at this place, it's beautiful...do you remember it at all?" 

"It's Eden park, it's popu..." 

"No, do you _remeber_ it?" She looked puzzled for a moment. 'Should I know the place or something?' She closed her eyes when she felt his hand move her hair from her neck. 

"I...don't know.... " 

"It's where I first met you, over a millennium ago...you are still as beautiful now as you were then" 

She couldn't undertand why she made no action to pull away from him, only that at the moment she couldn't move. She was suprised her breathe seemed to still come at a steady pace. She cried helplessly as he let his lips once again touch her neck, this time flicking his tounge quickly to gain a taste of the unwilling princess. 

"Don't...please" She whispered, knowing it would change nothing. 

"You'll be beautiful forever...you'll be mine forever" 

The rain fell heavily blurring Darien's vision. He could sense her calling him, but he didn't know where she was. 

"We have to find her now! She needs me...she's calling for me" Shukoroshi stopped running. 

"You can hear her?" Darien nodded "yes" 

"Darien, you can find her, just follow your instincts. You're linked to her, you have been since birth. Just go where you think she is, follow your heart. " 

Darien was silent for a short moment while he let his words wash over him. He was right. Even before he was turned, he always knew if she was close, or when she was sad. If he was close to her, he could almost even sense if she was in danger. Just like when Shukoroshi first attacked her. He knew it was her. It was always her.... He let his mind search for her, allowing his senses to follow her voice, and he found her. 

"This way, hurry up!" He froze when he arrived at a clear blue sparkling lake, filled with white lilies...and Serena. She looked like the princess from his dreams, the only exception being her hair was falling around her like a cloak, instead of being up in it's usual odangos. She was angelic. THen he saw Shigo holding her, putting his dirty lips to her neck. He didn't understand the feeling that coursed through him at that moment. It was like being in kindergarten and some kid trying to steal your favorite toy truck from you. MINE! was the first thing to come to his mind. 

"No mater what, get Serena out of here" Darien spoke to Shukoroshi, taking charge of the grave situation. 

"I will, I swear it " When Shigo let his fangs descend, and began to let his fangs penetrate the young girl he held in his arms, Darien and Shukoroshi jumped into action. They couldn't let him taste her. 

"Darien, I'll attack him, and I want you to get Serena out of here, ok? " 

"Understood" He agreed as they both ran towards the enemy. 

Shigo's arms wrapped tighter around her shacking frame. She whispered Darien's name as she felt warm breath, and a sharp pain in her neck, but he never drank from her. She fell to her knees when Shigo suddenly let her body go. He growled loudly as he felt someone grab his hair roughly from behind him. 

"I didn't feel you coming" He spat through gritted teath at his only twin brother, Shukoroshi. 

"It's understandable brother, you were preoccupied" He spat back equally as venemous. 

Serena lay on the soft cushion of flowers shivering with the cold that was taking over her body when she felt warm arms surrounding her body. Shigo turned in anger to see the Prince that had taken his love from him before, taking her away from him again. He pulled a sharp abject from his boot, and through a golden dagger towards Darien. He smiled pleased when the dagger hit its target. Darien fell to one knee when he felt the dagger pierce his back. He turned to see Shigo pull another dagger from his boot. 

"This time I won't miss your heart!" 

Serena opened her eyes soon enough to see the gold dagger heading for Darien's heart. She shielded him with her own body, Darien's eyes winded when he realized the dagger was now aimed for Serena. Serena closed her eyes tightly, readying herself for the pain of the dagger. She didn't want to die, she wasn't ready to yet, but...Darien, no matter what happened to her, he had to survive... She waited for the pain, but it never came. Shukoroshi turned to Darien bleeding from a dagger wound in his stomach. 

"Get her out of here now!" 

Darien nodded, fought against the pain of his own wound, and rose to his feet holding Serena in his arms. He ran as fast as he could in his weakened condition, carrying Serena in his arms. His was amazed that she managed to shield him, when she couldn't even move now, she was so weak and frozen with fear, even now. Darien soon felt himself faltering. He stopped under the same tree Shukoroshi had found him at almost a week ago. He set Serena down first, then he fell against the tree himself. He was breathing heavily, and the loss of blood from his wound was making him weaker...and hungrier. 

"Darien..." 

Her soft vioce tore through his thoughts like a hurricane. he looked at her in shock when he saw her hand holding back her hair, and her chin tilted slightly up, revealing her already bitten neck. 

"Serena I..." 

"You just need blood, just enough to make it home." 

"Serena, I...I could kill you" 

"Darien, you won't I trust you ..." 

He looked at her, and found himself once again falling into her sky blue eyes. He pulled himself away from her realizing his hunger was growing. 

"Serena, about earlier today, I'm sorry ..." 

"It's ok, I don't really hate you either." They sat in silence for a moment as Serena watched his blood and his energy drain slowly from his body. 

"It stopped raining." He looked up at the cloudy sky with an almost content smile on his face. She was safe, and he was happy. 

"Darien..." She whispered his name softly, once again offering him her own blood in order to save his life. He let a soft chuckle escape his lips. 

"Serena Tsukino, since when have you been so eager to help out your arch enemy " She smiled at his attempt to lighten up the situation, but it still didn't solve the fact that he was slowly bleeding to death. 

"I won't let you die..." She stooped down next to him looking deep into his midnight eyes. She reached slowly for the dagger that was still lodged in Darien's side, and in one swift painful pull, she yanked it from his body. He almost grew pale when he read her mind and knew what she was planning to do. 

"Serena no, just help me up, we can get to my apartment and it'll be ok. " 

"No, Darien. You're too weak to move and to heavy to carry." She brought the dagger to her wrist, but Darien grabbed her arm before she could make te first cut. She looked up at him as if he were crazy. 

"Do you want to die!? What's wrong with you!!? " 

"I won't drink from you Serena" 

"YOU IDIOT! I can't just watch you die!" 

"Then LEAVE, go back to the apartment and wait for Shukoroshi, he'll take care of you" She ignored what he said and once again brought the dagger to her wrist and made a swift cut in her wrist that was now dripping blood. His eyes went wide at the sight of her blood. He wanted to taste her more than anything in the world, but he couldn't hurt her, he just couldn't. He watched her in slow motion as she offered him her wrist; blood flowing steaidily from her wound. He wanted more than just her blood as he watched the red liquid slowly drip into the grass below. Suddenly, he wanted her, all of her. He licked his lips slowly, begining to slowly loose control, when suddenly, he was irrationally angry. How dare she serve herself up like dinner to him, he said no, and if she died, it would forever be on his conscious. 

"Serena I could _kill_ you, this isn't a romance comic, you won't come back by some twist of fate, no one will be here to save you!" He suddenly yelled at her, causeing her to pull her arm back and hold it to her chest as if injured, then out of nowhere she slapped him hard accross the face. 

"Why do you assume I'm so dumb!? I know what's going on, I know what could happen, but I trust you Darien, and I want you to live!" He almost yelled at her again, but when he looked to her, tears ran like a river down her cheeks. He couldn't be upset with her. Slowly he gave in to her demands. If she trusted him so much, maybe he should trust himself. 

"Serena tell me when to stop." He ordered seriously. She nodded slowly, and gasped as he began to drink slowly of her. 

At first it was like drinking something too hot to gulp down, her blood seared his throat, setting it on fire, theneverythig changed, he wasn't in the field lying against a tree anymore, he was in a garden. There were yellow flowers everywhere with white marble pilliars reaching up into the night sky. He almost lost his breath when he saw a blue orb in the sky that looked suspisciously like Earth instead of the Moon. Then he saw her. She was beautiful, her long golden hair shined in the Earths light like spun gold, and her skin looked like the most delicate porcelien too delicate to touch. She had her back to him, as she hummed a slow tune to herself and picked the yellow flowers that were scattered around her. Suddenly, she spun around as if she heard something, and he saw her face for the first time. He breathed her name in confusion. Se...re...na?" She smiled and rose to her feet running towards him. 

"Endymion, my love what are you doing here?" Her laugh sounded like soft bells, that soothed his mind. He looked deep into her blue orbs, and then she was gone. Suddenly in was in a large hall, there were no lights to been seen, except for a red glow emmetted from a glass orb that was only about fifty feet from him. 

"Darien....Darien don't you remeber me?" Her voice frightened him, it was so full of pain and desperation. He looked down and realized he was holding her by her throat slowly strangling her, except, she wasn't Serena, she was Sailor Moon. He had heard of the heoin before, but she was just a Urban Legend, Tokyo's own little claim to fame, but she didn't exist. 

"Darien, remeber me please...." She pulled a small locket from around her neck and opened it, it began to play a melody that was familiar to him. Suddenly he was once again on the Moon holding Serena in his arms. 

"Serenity, I love you, you know I do" She shoock her head up and down letting silver tears sprinkle accross the ground in the proccess. 

"Yes my Prince, I do, but the war....Earthlings are no longer welcome here, they won't let us be together my love." He lifted her chin to bring her eyes to his, and he pulled out a small golden locket. She smiled when he placed the trinket in her hands. 

"I thought you might like it....Serenity, if you ever feel like you need me, just listen to this song, and I _will_ come to you, I swear it." Once again she smiled, and pulled herself on her tip toes and placed a soft sweet kiss on his lips. Darien had never felt love like he had in that exact moment. He wasn't even _really_ sure what he was seeing, but he knew he would die for the girl that he held in his arms at that moment. Then, he was back in the dark hall and Sailor Moon was holding him tightly in her arms, he was dying. 

"I will find my way back to you, meatball head..." She let the tears flow unchecked. He could see she was dying inside, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. 

"I love you....Darien" He wanted to tell her he loved her too, but he couldn't speak. Then he was on the Moon again with his princess, but everyting was in shambles. 

"Protect the Princess!" He heard someone yell, and he immediately unsheathed his sword. Then he was somewhere else. He was walking down the sidewalk in Tokyo, when he was hit in the head by a test paper. 

"Hey watch it meatball head!" 

"How Dare you!" She stuck out her little pink toung at him and stommped away angrily. Then he was somewhere else. 

"Tuxedo Mask! Thanks for saving me" She was beaming a huge smile at him as she wore a sailor uniform with a skirt so short that he couldn't help but sneak a peak at her soft legs. 

"Darien...." Her voice sounded so close this time, but weak.... 

"Prince Endymion, will you escort me to the masquerade ball?" She looked nervously down at her hands as she twisted a white silk hankerchief. 

"Darien...stop, please...." What the hell was going on, he couldn't focus on anything, everything was rushing to him, but he couldn't make sense of what was happening. Then he was in Tokyo again fighting with her in the arcade. 

"Darien Chiba, you are such a LAMEBRAIN!" Her cheeks were flushed with furry, and although they had faught many times, Darien couldn't remeber when they had that particular fight. 

"Darien...." He could taste her blood in his mouth, and it was hot, sweet, and exotic. Then he was in an elevator with her. She looked like she was contemplating if she should do something, then said 'fuck it' in her head and through her hand up and yelled. 

"Moon Prism Power!!" He gasped as he watched her body be engulfed in white light and her clothing disapear. Piece by piece it was replaced by somthing different, a ribbon, white gloves, a blue skirt. When it was all over Serena was no longer there, Sailor Moon stood in her place. 

"Darien, please...." Her voice sounded weaker now, and he couldn'tunderstand why. Where was it comming from, wasn't he somewhere else a moment ago? 

"Darien...please...Da..rien...Dar...." He pulled back from her suddenly, and looked around him. He was back in Tokyo, lying against the tree were he had been before, and he held Serena uncouncious in his arms. 

"Serena...SERENA!!!!" Sammy sat on the couch across from the TV in Darien's apartment,unconsiously fliking channels, not concerned with what program he was changing from. He hadn't said a word since they arrived at Darien's apartment, he just stared into nothingness, sobbing every once in awhile. 

"They should be back by now" Mina impatiently looked through Dariens heavy grey curtains for the hundreth time in a row. She began to pace when she once again saw nothing but an empty Tokyo street below her. 

"Mina's right, where _are_ they!?" Lita asked joining Mina in the great pace race. 

"I wish she would just tell us what's going on, that stupid meatball head! She should have told us..." Raye sat with her head in her hands too bull headed to let the other girls see her tears. 

Ami said nothing, she just kept turning the pages of her boook as if she were reading it, but tthey all knew she was just as worried a the rest of them. 

Thier hearts rose when they heard the door open, all praying that Serena would poke her little blond head in, and trip on a cord or someting landing flat on her face, and having one of her usual clux attacks, but it didn't happen. Instead, Shukoroshi stepped in, covering the wound in his stomach. Ami immediatly jumped into action and found some gauze in a medicine cabinet and sat Shukoroshi down, dressing his wound. 

"They haven't gotten back yet?" He asked as he winced at Ami's not so gentle cleaning with the not so unpainful alcohol wipes. 

"N, NO...they haven't gotten back. Shukoroshi, what happened are they ok?" Raye asked, finally lifting her head and showing her tear stained face to the whole room. 

"We got into a bit of trouble, but I'm sure they're fine, Darien was hurt though, it proboly jsut slowed them down a bit" 

Shukoroshi looked to the small boy that continued to flip through TV channels and marveled at just how different Serena's new life on Earth was. She had a mother, father and a little brother. She was judged and compared jut like any regular human being. Shukoroshi smiled at Sammy and rubbed his shoulder with one arm. 

"Your sister is stronger than you think, she'll be fine, I promise. " Sammy smiled back up at the man's attempt to comfort him. When the door behind them suddenly slammed closed. 

"Shukorohi, open my bedroom door for me. " Darien walked into the room careful carrying Serena in his arms. Shkoroshi quickly rose to his feet, and held the door open for Darien as he laid Serena into the bed, and pulled the comforter around her shoulders, tucking her still unconcious body into his large soft bed. He looked at her for a moment, once again trying to make sense of what had happened. He saw her memories....And in seeing her memories, he got a glipse of his own, well, at least that's what he thinks it was. All he knew for sure was that whatever his vision was, it was overwhelming. He watched her chest rise and fall as she took slow steady breaths, then he took her wrist in his hand and looked at the small bite mark that really was only just a scar now. 

"How did she get that other bite on her wrist?" Shukoroshi asked, bringing Darien back from his thoughts. 

"I..drank from her.... " He stated slowly, like a child telling their mother they ate the last five cookies right before dinner. Shukoroshi sighed a little disapointed. 

"Did she offer yourself to you? " Darien said nothing in response. 

"I take that as a yes. " Darien continued to watch Serena breath. She seemed so content now. 

"Shukoroshi, I saw something when I drank from her....it was like watching a movie that I've seen before, but I just couldn't remeber what would happen later. I saw her.....on the Moon " 

Shukoroshi said nothing, he just looked at him. Had he seen a vision of her memories? Memories that were locked away deep inside of them? 

"You, Darien, have a bond with her that no other human will ever have. You two are destined to be together, there is nothing that can keep you away from each other. That is why you can see her heart. You can see what she herself is blind to...and I envy you for it.... " Shukoroshi sadly left his bedroom and walked into the hall to let all the others know Serena was going to be ok, she would live she just needed to rest, alone for awhile. They all beamed with happeniss, and got started on seperate tasks. Lita began to prepare a huge feast while Sammy tested her cooking, Ami set out all of Serena's late homework on a table, Mina found different things around Darien's apartment to make the situation a bonified sleepover, and Raye slipped away alone to have a fire reading. Darien stayed in the room with Serena, simply watching her breath, waiting for her to open her eyes. 

Serena awoke to the night sky, a headache like no other, dizzines, and a furball that sat on her stomach starring at her. 

"Hey Luna, were you worried too" She scratched the back of the cats ear, and smiled as she began to purr. Luna played the role of the ordinary house cat again, not sure if now was the time to give Serena back her memories, she needed Artemis' oppinion before she did anything. It's just that, she was so tired and sad when she was Sailor Moon, and even though she was tired and sad now, when it was all over, she would still be the normal girl she had always wanted to be, instead of having to go on living as Sailor Moon. Anyways, they had help! Whoever this Shukoroshi charecter was, he was deffinately on their side. Speaking od Darien, he seemed like he was in a trance. Even if Serena couldn't see him, Luna's kitty eyes easily picked him out hidding in the corner of the room, just watching her. With a small meow, Luna jumped down and walked over to Darien rubbing up against his legs, before he came out of hidding, and stooped down to pick up Luna. 

"Oh, I didn't see you over there..." Darien sat on the edge of the bed next to Serena while setting Luna back down in her lap. 

"I, I didn't know if you wanted me here, after what had happened. " She looked confused for a second, then surprised Darien by letting her lips softly brush a kiss against his cheek. 

"I'm fine Darien, and so are you, I'd say everything worked out just the way it was suppossed to." His skin burned where she had kissed him, and in the first moments after she had spoken, when she flashed him her perfect smile, and tucked a long strand of her unbound golden hair behind her ear, he saw his princess once again. He wanted to kiss her at that moment more than he had ever wanted to do anything. She was what his body burned for, what he lost controll over, but he still didn't quite understand his feelings. Was it lust? Or was it his vampiric urges taking over...was it an emotion that he felt now only becuse he wasn't human? What was it....When he came back from his thoughts, he realized he had uncounsciously moved even closer to Serena, and was no only inches from her lips. A kiss that he knew would be her first, he would be her first..... 

She didn't understand what was happenening, at first they were talking, then he just stared at her. He didn't move or talk or anything, he just sat there looking at her like he was thinking or contemplating something, then he reached his hand out to her and softly stroked her cheek, but he still didn't say anything. When she looked up into his eyes again, he was two inches away from kissing her...her first kiss. Her eyes slowly clossed in anticipation, but the moment was cut short when there was a nock on the door. 

"Serena, are you awake? We heard talking" Ami asked softly, destroying the moment between Darien and Serena. He cleared his throat nervously, as he rose to his feet, and like lightning was on the other side of the room. opening the door, and letting Sammy and all four of Serena's friends spill into the room. 

"Yes everyone she is finally awake, but she's still a little groggy so keep it down" Darien stated in a grand fashion making everyone laugh at his out of character drama. He stepped out the doorway, and watched as everyone ran into the room and began asking Serena question after question while giving her hugs and kisses. She pulled her brother into her lap, knowing the little boy probobly had the worste with worry, and secretly using him as a human shield against her other friends. Then she smelled it. FOOD! 

"Lita, did you cook something?" Lita looked puzzled for a moment, then answered. 

"Yeah, I cooked a few things, it's all in the kitch..." Before she could get her full sentence from her mouth, Serena was already on her feet and in the kitchen dishing up some food....a lot of food. Raye just sighed quietly. 

"Yup, meatball heads a hundered and ten percent for sure" They all laughed as Serena gulped down muffin after muffin, occasionally taking a sip of her milk. Luna smiled to herself as she watched Serena getting back to her oldself, before she left to go find Artemis, and ask him just what she should do. Bring back the Scouts, or let them have a normal life. She took one last look before she left at the whole scene. Serena was stuffing her mouth while Sammy called her vacum. Lita served up the rest of the feast to the other girls before taking a seat herself, and Darien and the man Shukoroshi, stood almost out of sight in oppisite corners of the room, watching....Serena. Both men looked at her longingly as she once again showed her fun, silly personality that could warm the coldest hearts. Luna's brow furowed in thought, were the two men possibly...in love? Luna pondered her thoguhts for a second longer, before she slipped out of the apartment, and out to the streets to find Artemis. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Crimson Moon: Part Seven ****  
By: SalrAnime**

Alright, the chapters are going to be comming a little slower now, because I am no longer revising, I am putting out NEW chapters!! YAY :)!! I'll try to get them out as fast as possible, but people please remeber I'm in school, and I do have a life fanfiction is a hobby, so please be patient with me. normal Disclaimers apply, Sailor Moon is SO obviously not mine. 

Luna sprinted down the rainy Streets of Tokyo, searching for her snow white partner. She didn't know what to do with the scouts! Should she bring back thier memories, or should she just wait it out and see what happens. She ran faster, knowing that whatever choice she made, she needed to make it quickly and back to the girls soon. Her ignorance to the situation worried her, and she wanted more than anything to get back to the apartment, and snoop around while playing the normal kitty cat that they all thought she was. Luna took a short breather and began to walk when she reached her destination. Mina's house. It was on the other side of town and Luna was just happy to had made it without getting hit by a car. She looked up at the large house with the white brick sidding, and began to formulate a plan to get into to. Twenty minutes later of standing in the cold rain, Luna finally noticed an open window and mentally kicked herself for not noticing it earlier. 'So stupid!' Was the only thing she thought as she sneaked in through the window and made her way to Mina's room. It was the first time she had ever been there, and she almost laughed outloud a the irony at her first look around the place. Sailor V everything was all over the place! Sailor V posters, Sailor V lamps, even a Sailor V beadspread and trashcan. She briefly wondered if she just secretly had a HUGE ego, or if she really did just idolize....herself. She took one more glance around the room before letting her eyes fall on the small white cat that slept on a pillow in a white rocking chair in the corner. 

"ARTEMIS!" She yelled, getting his attention and waking him with a start. 

"Wha, wha?" He jumped up at attention, still disoriented from sleep. Luna jumped up next to him and pushed him off of the rocking chair. 

"Artemis! I can't believe you've been here sleeping all day. Have you even noticed your chargee is gone!?" Arteims looked confused for a moment, and began to form excuses when he realized she was gone. 

"Well, you see, since the scouts have been inactivated....uh....she um...argh!....ok so I was asleep all day, I'm a cat!" Luna frowned at him and motioned for him to follow her as she lead him back to Darien's apartment, and filled him on the recent events....well, at least what she knew of them. 

Once again, he didn't understand why he was torturing himself by staying so close to her. Shkoroshi hid in the shadows as Serena slept peacefully in Darien's bed. Of course, Darien wasn't with her tonight, he was walking her little brother home, making sure that her parents wouldn't miss him and begen to wonder if she was really spending another night with Raye at the temple. And while Darien was gone, he took the liberty of watching Serena. It was a treat he was only allowed a few times since she had been in his presence again; the majority of the time, Darien was with her. So now, while Darien was away, he watched her, taking in every aspect of her. Too tired after a large meal to put her hair back up into it's customary meatballs, she setteled on a large bun at the top of her head that had slowly began to come loose in her sleep. She looked so sexy to him. She slept in an oversized dress shirt, on her side with one leg over the sheets, exsposing her creamy thighs to his green eyes. She turned on her back to get into a more comfortable position, letting him get a view of her stomach as the sheets twisted around her body, no longer covering her as it should, and he lost control. Slowly, he stpped towards the bed watching as her bun finally fell loose and her hair fell gracefully over the edge of the bed, almost touching the carpted floor below. He knelt down on one knee and looked at her sleeping face, his only inches away. She was beautiful, the way her nose wrinkled when she laughed in her sleep, the was her lips were slightly pated as if waiting for him to plant a small kiss on her lips. Suddenly he wondered to himself,would she wake up if he stole a swift kiss from her? He decided to take the chance. Leaning forward slowly, he took a moment to take in her sweet scent before leaning in and.... 

"Shukoroshi, what do you think you're doing?" Apparently she would wake up. He stammered for a moment, unable to think of a reasonible excuse, and she knew there wasn't one anyway. She sat up slowly in bed cursing the legnth of her hair as she tried to pull back into the bun it had been in before. 

"I was just...I..uh...Serena....." She sighed like a mother sighing to a lying child as if to say "just give it up" 

"It's ok, I understand...kind of, but Shukoroshi, I'm not her....no matter what you say, your princess died long ago, I'm NOT her..." She almost felt like it was a starring contest as Shukoroshi stared into her eyes until he suddenly pulled her to her feet, and pulled her to a nearby mirror. 

"Serena, no matter what you think, you ARE her, all the way down to that little brown mole on the right side of your neck" He tilted her chin to the side, and showed her the mark even she hadn't been aware of. She looked in the mirror in awe as he slowly pulled her hair down from the bun she had labored so hard to put in her hair, and slowly ever so slowly began to draw small circles around the mole. 'What is he doing!?' 

"Shukoroshi?" She questioned, fearing the man for the first time since she had met him. He slowly turned her around to face him, once again loosing himself in the desire to kiss her lips. He moved in closer, only stopping at her sudden request. 

"Please,don't...I've never been kissed before..." He took a pained step back when he realized what she was saying. He was about to become her first kiss, and she didn't want it to be him. Stunned, and pained he didn't even try to chase her when she stepped away from him, and left the room stepping out onto the balcony. She just needed to be away from him for now. 

Darien returned to a quiet apartment, and briefly wondered where everyone was. He knew the girls had left, but usually Shukoroshi would stay up waiting for him, and would be able to hear Serena's soft breathing comming from his room, instead he heard nothing. He worriedly rushed into the room were Serena was supposssed to be sleeping, and found nothing but Shukoroshi staring out of a window next to the bed. When he heard Darien stepp in he turned to look at him and chuckled . 

"I messed up Darien...." He immediatly began to panick. 

"What do you mean, where is she?" Shukoroshi cocked his head out the window. Darien looked into the night sky, searchign for the small blond, when he finally saw her lying in a chair snuggled into a blanket on the balcony. He let out a woosh of air when he realized she was ok. 

"What happened?" He asked softly. Shukoroshi wondered momentarily if he should tell him...he would probobly try to beat him to a bloody pulp if he did. He decided to leave instead, and let Serena tell him. 

"Ask Serena, I'm sure she'll tell you." He stated as he grabbed his coat and closed the door behind him. Darien slightly confused and curious, took soft steps twords the balcony, opening the door slowly as to not wake Serena. He stepped out onto the cold balcony, and knelt down, taking Serena in his arms to carry her back into his room. She stirred slightly and let out a little sneeze as she snuggled deeper into his arms enjoying the new warmth that surrounded her. He softly laid her into the plush comforter of his bed, almost hopping she would open her eyes, just so he could ask what had happened between her and Shukoroshi, but he didn't want to wake her, she was so peaceful and beautiful.... Unconciously, he brought his head lower, until his lips were only inches from his own. He froze, contemplating what he was doing in his head. Should he kiss her, steal what he knew would be her first kiss, or should he just leave now, and not let his instincts take him over. He was still pondering what he was going to do, in deep thought when. 

"EEECHI!!!!" SMACK! Serena suddenly opened her eyes to see a dark figure looming over her ; lips only inches from her own. She screamed utterly frightened, not able to focus in the dim light, and let her hand come out instinctively, and smack her attacker right in the face. She heard an annoyed OW!, and then the lights were suddenly flicked on. Her eyes burned momentarily at the new light, but her eyes finally adjusted, and she was able to see the man that attacked her. He stood in the corner of the room, holding his bruised cheek in one hand, while glaring at her with dark blue eyes. Suddenly realization struck her, and she formed an apoligetic "O" with her mouth. 

"Meat...ball....head" He said the unwanted nickname slowly and steadily in his rage, and it scared the crap out of Serena, she startted stuttering nervously. 

"I..I d didn't know i it was ya you, you scared me!" He let a low growl escape his lips as he took a step towards the small girl. She immediately took one step away from him. 

"An and what's with you guys and the ki kiss thing today an anyway!?" Darien froze, 'you guys?' 

"What do you mean you guys!?" Serena let confusion grasp her features as Darien let a look af jelousy and anger cross his face. 

"Shukoroshi tried to kiss me while I was asleep, that's why I was on the balcony, I...."

"HE TRIED TO KISS YOU!!" He screamed cutting Serena off. 

"But he didn't....it really wasn't anything." She said in a small voice, once again stepping away from Darien as he once again looked like he was going to rip someones heart from thier chest. 

"Shukoroshi tried to kiss her! and all this time he kept telling me to stay away from her, like I was the dangerous one." Darien knew he was babbling outloud, and probobly freaking Serena out, but all he could think was ''MINE!'' over and over again. For some unknown reason, or lack of logic, his whole body was set on fire with an unreasonable anger. 

"Da..Darien?" Serena slowly stretched out her hand her small hand fall on Darien's shoulder. She let a small yelp escape her throat when he suddenly spun around to face her, and pulled her closer to him, his once dark blue eyes almost black with the anger that he held inside them. She was going to question his actions when he cut her off with a whispered "Mine" and brought his lips down into blazing contact with her own. Niether of them could think straight, it was like a fever had taken over their minds, and their was no other cure but each other. 

He didn't understand what was happening with him. The only thing he remebered was a sea of blue, then he was kissing her, passionatly and with every emotion inside of him that he didn't know he had for the young girl, then it happened again, he was somewhere else with Serena, but she wasn't Serena. He laid on a large bed of silver silk sheets, with a huge gold headboard, then he heard her small voice. 

"I love you, I have since the first time we danced on Earth." Darien looked into his princess' eyes and planted a small kiss on her lips, before letting his hands wonder slowly up her bare creamy thighs. 

"I love you too my sweet princess" 

Serena lost herself in the kiss, unaware of the edge of Darien's bed touching the back of her leg, until his weight finally pushed her onto the bed, his body leaning over her's so as to not break contact as her back fell into the soft blue sheets. She let out a soft moan when she felt Darien's strong hands run up her sides, and into her hair, deepening the kiss between the two even more. 

Somehow, he knew that what he was seeing wasn't real, but the way she felt....the way she shivered when he kissed her neck, or the way she looked up at him so nervously when he slid the soft material of her gown off her body, it was just all so real. He was surprised to hear a low growl from deep within his throat, when Serenity's wet tounge touched his hot chest. She giggled slightly and smiled up at him and he for some reason, a sense of urgancy went through his body, like this could be the last time he would ever be able to touch his princess. He once again captured her lips and laid her back onto the bed. He looked deep into her eyes again, looking for any kind of hesitation, but there was only trust in love. Slowly he let himself enter her body, looking for any signs that she wanted him to stop, but there were none. Then all of a sudden, the vision was gone, and he was staring into Serena's confused blue eyes, as he lay ontop of her body. Serena slowly and reluctantly pushed Darien away, unable to breathe. He looked so confused when his eyes finally gained focus, like he didn't know why he was there. Suddenly, he rose from the bed and left her in the room alone stating he would be back later, never once looking back at the small blond that laid on his bed utterly and completely confused. The last sound Serena heard before she wailed "JERK!!" louder than she ever had in the past, was the door to Darien's apartment slamming behind him as he left. 

The ehat from the Sacred Fire was intense as Raye wiped the sweat from her brow. She was worried about Serena and Darien, she had no idea what was going on, and even though everyone would think she was a freak for doing it, her only source of information was the Sacred Fire. She clasped her hands together in front of her, and began the familiar ritual of fire. Once done, she starred into the orange yellow blaze patiently waiting for the sacred element to reveal to her what she needed to know. Once again she wiped her brow and waited...... 


	8. Chapter 8

**Crimson Moon: Part Eight ****  
By: SalrAnime**

I didn't really know where I wanted to go with this chapter, but I do know one thing for sure, the whole "kissy face" thing that happened in the last chapter will NOT be talked about; they'd rather just forget it happened apparently :) BUT and they might get their memories, well at least one of them...who will it be!!?

"So," Luna began, "what do you think we should do, should we reawaken the scouts, or just wait it out and see if this strange man can help them win without bringing back their memories." Artemis looked at Luna almost as if she had suddenly lost her brains completely.

"Bring them back, of course!" He said the words as if it was such an obvious answer, but Luna just didn't know.

"I know I should probably bring them back so they can fight, but they were so happy just being normal girls, maybe...just maybe they can fight this enemy as normal girls, and once it's all over, they'll be able to be happy again, they don't have know about the pains they've felt in their past, they can just live in the present and look forward to their future!"

Luna let tears fall in warm salty rivers down her face as she remembered all the pain the young princess had been through. She had to sit and watch her only love die not only once but TWICE, she had fought and destroyed the most dangerous enemy the universe had ever even seen, and she received no recognition for it. The girls, all of them were unsung heroes, bearing the weight of the world on their shoulders, and not even getting a thank you, or even expecting one. They fought and watched the ones they loved die in battle like seasoned worriers, but they were so young. Now, now they had the chance to live like normal girls. To do normal things, shop, talk about boys, worry about exams, anything....and there was no destiny hovering over them. Suddenly she yelled at Artemis, letting the emotions inside of her take over.

"They don't deserve this! She doesn't deserve this! Why can't they just be HAPPY!? They don't have to worry about destiny now, they can...."

"But Luna they do!" He abruptly cut her off.

"Whether or not they remember who they are, they are STILL the Sailor Scouts, and the sworn protectors of this universe!" Luna looked up at Artemis with wet eyes. She knew what he was saying, but she just wouldn't give in until she heard the words loud and clear.

"Luna, they can escape their destinies about as much as they can escape who they are. It will always follow them, just like even now the memories of their past, will always haunt them. The small black cat let another sob escape her kitty lips as she nodded in agreement.

"Who will we awaken first?"

Never in all of his life had he wanted a woman so badly. The way she felt in his arms was intoxicating. Darien walked the streets of Tokyo; once more reprimanding himself for letting his basal needs take over his good sense, when he kissed Serena. And what the hell was that vision? Had it actually happened, had he made love to Serena? Was it some sort of waking fantasy, or a memory from a past life, could what Shukoroshi have said been the truth? He groaned softly as he once again pictured Serena's small body shivering beneath his own as he slowly and gently thrust himself into her. It had to be memory, it felt too real...all of it. He sighed deeply, and began to make his way back to his apartment, when he saw a blanket of familiar black silk bobbing up and down towards him.

Rayed almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Darien walking in her direction, she was so anxious to tell him what she saw in the fire, the she began to lightly jog to him, to meet him halfway. She needed to know if she had truly lost her mind, or if there was an actually the possibility that she had seen a forgotten past in the flames. She needed to know who she really was, if the horrible things she had seen come to life in the blue red flame of the sacred fire. She just had to know if was real.

" Darien!" She squealed in surprise when she saw him jogging towards her. His face scrunched into concern when he saw the urgency in her eyes.

"Rayed, what's wrong, what happened?" She took a few much needed breathes before answering his questions with more questions.

"Is Shukoroshi human?"

"What?" If the question hadn't come completely out of the blue, Darien may have not thought it was absolutely absurd, but since it did, he began to chuckle slightly.

"What do you mean in Shukoroshi human?"

"I saw, in the sacred fires, something that seemed like...it seemed like I was seeing a past life, like I'm not ...normal...." Darien abruptly stopped his little chuckle,

"Where, where were you in the vision?" Their eyes met momentarily, each knowing the other had seen the same vision before. Rayed answered in a small voice, almost as if what she was saying sounded crazy to even her.

"The moon...we were all on the moon." Darien exhaled the breath he unknowingly held inside, and took Rayed by the shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"We need to talk" he stated flatly.

Mina walked briskly towards Darien's apartment, eager to see how Serena was doing. The night before had been fun, and they had all eaten as if everything was normal, but the fact still remained, they were attacked by something totally abnormal. She felt strangely confident that everything would work out, as she made her way down the streets. She began to contemplate what she would do with Serena to keep her mind off of the danger they were in, when she spotted a white tail wiggling playfully just behind a nearby brick wall.

"Artemis? How'd you get out?" She began to walk towards the ally her cat was hiding in, when the tail suddenly disappeared deeper into the dark ally.

"Artemis, here kitty kitty kitty" she cooed as she stepped into the ally to find her little platinum cat. She walked further into the ally and into a dead end where she found Artemis, and Serena's cat Luna standing at the edge of the ally. Mina smiled at the two kittens.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you lead me here" She reached for her cat, when Artemis began to talk.

"No, way...did you just talk!?"

"Mina, please, follow us, we don't have much time left" Luna sighed and repeated what Artemis' words again, a little annoyed that once again they had to go through the whole "talking cat!" thing again. Mina nodded wordlessly, and followed the two kittens through a rusted old door at the end of the ally, and into an abandoned building. Once inside, Artemis once again began to speak, and Mina began to ask herself, 'Is this a dream?'

"No Mina, it isn't we'll show you." Had she said that out loud? Was the last thing she thought before a strange yellow glow coming from Luna's crescent bald spot? Then suddenly she began to remember.

She was on the moon in a golden dress, following Princess Serenity; she was Princess Mina of Venus, and part of the Royal Court of the Moon Kingdom. She was also the Sailor Soldier of love and justice, sworn to protect the universe and Moon Princess with her strange powers, and warrior skills. She was assaulted with various memories. There was a man, Malachite. She ha been in love with him, and an evil monster took him away. There was so much joy, but so much pain in her memories. She didn't really want to be awaken again, she wanted to forget, to not know who she was, the love she had lost so long ago, his silvery white hair, his smile, his touch. He loved her so. Then she began to remember other things, things that weren't so long ago. There was a battle, she saw her beloved Malachite again, but at that time, she didn't know who he was, and she destroyed him. She gasped at the memory of the two in battle, once lovers, and now sworn enemies. Then there was another battle, and she fought beside the other Sailor Scouts. Ami, Rayed, Lita, and Serena, their Princess. They all fought together, died together, and were reborn together. Sailor Scouts, they were the Sailor Scouts. Mina chuckled slightly as she wiped a single tear of remorse from her cheek.

"I was my favorite Sailor Scout" She laughed to herself. Luna took a step closer.

"Mina, are you alright?" The blond girl smiled at the small dark cat, and ran one finger behind her pointed ear.

"Yes Luna, I am, and I'm ready to get to business." She stood to her feet, with a look of determination. Whatever threatened her friends, she was going to defeat it. She would protect her princess and closest friend.

Rayed sat back in the soft sofa and let out a whoosh of air as she let herself relax slightly. Darien, however, anxiously waited to hear just what Rayed had seen in the sacred fires. She brought her violet eyes to his midnight ones and began.

"Alright, I know this sounds crazy, but you have heard of the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask before right?" Darien looked confused momentarily then answered.

"Yeah, they're an Urban Legend right? They supposedly protected Tokyo from the "evils of the world" Silly if you ask me" Rayed looked at him sternly for a moment, as if she had taken slight offense to his "silly" comment, before pulling a red shoe box from under the sofa.

"What's this?" Darien surveyed the box, not understanding the connection between the Sailor Scouts, them, and an old shoe box.

"Open it, Darien it's what's inside the box I want you to see." Rayed sighed while she rolled her eyes, indicating her slight annoyance at his fascination with the outside of the box.

"Oh, yes of course" It was rare that Darien felt embarrassed, but at this moment, he cleared his voice to over his stupidity. He took the red box in his hands, and anxiously pulled the top off, tossing it on the nearby coffee table. He gasped at what he saw.

"I know I seem a little obsessed, but it piqued my interest, I guess you could say." Rayed blushed as she spread the numerous photos, paper clippings, and notes across the glass top coffee table. Darien picked up one of the blurry photos of a girl with a sailor suit on with a short skirt, and long hair, but he could make out no more detail then that. Then he picked up a newspaper article titled "Tokyo Angles" then another, "Saving Divas" then he picked up a piece of note paper with Raye's handwriting, with "Important Dates" written across the top. He read this and found the contents interesting.

1) Sailor V appears in UK 3-04-95

2) Sailor Moon appears in Tokyo 4-15-97 Sailor Mercury follows 4-25-97 Sailor Mars Follows 5-12-97 Sailor Jupiter Follows 5-29-97 Sailor Venus appears in Tokyo 6-1-97

3) 11-21-97 City has strange blackout and unusual lunar activity later on the next day, all returns to normal. Occurrence is never explained.

4) 12-05-97 Sailor Scouts officially said to have vanished, last sighting being 11-20-97, that day before odd occurrence.

Darien read the last line over again in his head, now understanding why Rayed showed him the box.

"You think they're real?" Rayed nodded shyly, feeling foolish for believing in such things.

"But what do they have to do with your vision?" Rayed turned an even brighter shade of red as she nervously fiddled with the hem of her priestess robes.

"Well, I think I was one of them...." Darien looked on in amazement at her words, then listened to what she saw in the fire intently, curious as to what vision she had seen.

"I did the ceremony because I was worried about you and Serena, I knew there was something going on, but I didn't know just what, so I turned to the sacred fire" Darien nodded and urged on for her to continue.

"At first, I didn't see anything, but then....I began to see places, and people I had never seen before, but recognized. Then, I saw myself, but...I was in a Sailor Suit, and fighting a man, that I knew...I knew I loved him, but we...were, fighting. Then I saw Shukoroshi standing amidst the battle watching, and when I saw that, the fire grew, and I saw myself with the girls, and we were all fighting together as the Sailor Scouts, but we all fell, all of us but Serena...she continued on. I couldn't tell where we were, but it looked like a snow tundra, then the fire just died down then went back to normal, and I couldn't see anything else." Darien looked at her amazed, before sharing his own vision...the edited version, of Serena as Sailor Moon, and a Moon Princess.

"Normally I would think that that serious head of your had finally had too little fun and gone crazy, but with what I saw in the fire...." Darien suddenly took Raye's hands in his. His eyes were pleading for an answer that she could not give.

"Rayed, who am I, I need to know who I really am" Rayed let her head fall regretfully to her lap.

" Darien, I'm sorry, but I don't even know who I am."

Serena was fuming, how dare he take her first kiss from her, and virtually grope her, then leave her alone in his dark and lonely apartment with no explanation.

"OOOO When he gets back, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" She stated out loud. She continued to stare at the locked door, waiting for him to return, when the sound of keys jiggling and the door turning could be heard throughout the apartment. She didn't even wait for him to step into the apartment before she began the verbal assault.

"YOU JACKASS! How could you Kiss me like that then just leave! Just leave me here all alone and .....eeehhh?" Serena stated in confusion when Shukoroshi stepped through the door, looking as if he was in the path of a super tornado.

"I suppose I'm not the one that was meant for" Serena blushed deeply.

"I'm so sorry, I thought you were Darien, and..."

"Wooa... Darien kissed you?" Serena said nothing, but Shukoroshi knew the answer when her blush deepened, and she suddenly changed the subject, and began talking about food. He didn't want to press the issue further, so he just let her ramble on about her favorite dessert in the whole wide world, the triple fudge uber nutty chocolate cheesecake sundae.

"Do you want to get one?" Shukoroshi asked, and Serena momentarily looked confused as she remembered what she was just rambling about.

"A triple fudge uber nutty chocolate cheesecake sundae? OF COURSE!!" Shukoroshi smiled inwardly at her enthusiasm as he handed her the little pink furry coat from the closet hanger, and led the way to the only cafe in Tokyo that served her favorite dessert, the Crown Arcade.

Serena let the cool seat of the leather topped stool chill her hot temper as she waited for Andrew to bring her the must luscious dessert ever created. She shifted slightly in her seat to pull down her short khaki skirt as she suddenly became of the hungry glances she was getting from the other occupants of the Arcade.

"Here ya go Serena!" Andrew's normal cheery smile relaxed her slightly as she took the dessert and thanked her long time crush. Shukoroshi glared unconsciously at the young man that stood on the other side of the counter, suddenly jealous that Serena could smile for anyone but him. He was surprised when Andrew suddenly looked in his direction, apparently feeling the heat of Shukoroshi's glare.

"So, who's your friend Serena." She smiled inwardly at Andrew's brotherly curiosity, before answering his question.

"This is Shukoroshi, my friend from...from...."

"I'm her friend from America, I'm just visiting for a short time." Andrew looked at the two suspiciously.

"That's funny, you don't sound American" Shukoroshi let a half smile cross his face as he met Andrew's challenge.

"I'm not from America, I just live there now."

"So, where are you from?"

" Sweden" He answered simply.

"You speak perfect Japanese, where did you learn it?" Andrew was still obviously suspicious of the dark haired man, and Serena was clearly tired of all the questions ruining her triple fudge uber nutty chocolate cheesecake sundae, and for once, she found a clever way to shut him up.

"Andrew, with all these questions, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous or something." At first the blush was only at the tips of his ears, but then it quickly crept across his cheeks, giving him the color of a bright red tomato.

"No, No, you know you're like a little sister to me Serena!" He pat her on the head like a big brother, and magically found a dirty spot on the impeccable counter top that needed cleaning. Serena smiled when he left, letting herself acknowledge briefly that her long time crush saying that he only looked at her like a little sister, didn't really crush her. Finally feeling relaxed and safe for the first time in two weeks, she let herself enjoy her sundae and share a nice conversation with Shukoroshi. He was really very sweet and kind hearted. She couldn't believe that he was the brother of such a hateful evil monster. As if on cue with her thoughts, Serena looked up to the familiar chime of the door bells, to see the handsome man she had effectively avoided for over two weeks. Se felt the air freeze in her lungs, as the blood drained from her face, and her eyes became huge.

"Serena, Serena are you ok?" Shukoroshi asked not seeing the man that walked into the arcade behind him. She stuttered as she slowly let the air trapped in her lungs form words.

"Sh...Shigo..is..." Shukoroshi suddenly turned in his seat, shielding Serena behind him as realization hit him. Shigo laughed loudly at his brother's alarmed face.

"HAHAHA ... didn't hear me coming huh? Where you too caught up in you date!?" Shigo accentuated the word date by violently pushing a nearby glass dessert try to the floor. This action caught everyone's attention, most of all, Andrew's"

"Sir, Sir I don't want any trouble in my establishment, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave" Shukoroshi's green eyes glinted with a sick amusement as he set down a sizeable amount of money.

"That should be enough for the cake tray, now why don't you mind your own business as I collect what's mine" Andrew almost lost his professional cool when he saw "who" he came to collect.

"Serena? You want Serena!?" Andrew asked while catching the terrified look in Serena's eyes. Shigo answered without looking at Andrew.

"Yes, I have come for...Serena" Serena jumped to her feet when Andrew jumped over the bar and took a place next to Shukoroshi protecting her.

"There's no way you're leaving with that girl" Shukoroshi looked to Andrew and nodded, instantly becoming a team in the fight to protect Serena. Shigo just laughed at the two of them, before he lunged forward, letting his cold fingers wrap around Andrew's neck. Serena screamed loudly out of pure shock when she saw her friend's air supply being slowly cut off. Everyone in the crown arcade began to panic, and crowds of people ran for the door. The tingling of glass shattering could be heard from the street, as countless plates and glasses were knocked over in crowds attempt to escape the duel that had begun inside. When it was all over, Shukoroshi lay unconscious on the floor of the arcade, as did Andrew, bleeding profusely from a wound to his left side, and Serena was nowhere to be found. When Darien arrived, attracted by the amount of police and ambulances going towards the Crown arcade center, Andrew was being worked on in the back of an ambulance truck, and Shukoroshi lay slightly conscious on a gurney as the rolled him into another ambulance. He ran to Shukoroshi, knowing that Serena was with him.

"What happened?" He asked, panic evident in his tone.

"Shigo, attacked us....took Serena" Darien let a look of betrayal cross his features for a split second.

"How could you let him take her?" He shook his head, knowing that Shukoroshi obviously didn't "let" anything happen. He muttered a soft apology at his accusation, then headed off away from the police lights, away from the shattered glass, and towards Serena.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: OK you guys, I hope this chapter didn't suck too much, I tried, but I'm starting to have a little writers block. Also, I have two ideas for this story, and I need you help with them, SOOO I need my READERS TO VOTE!! Do you want Serena to be found (the bad guy) OR do you want me to let the story go a little longer? 1) Found next chapter or 2) Found different chapter. Let me know and LEAVE FEEDBACK!!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Crimson Moon: Part Nine ****  
By: SalrAnime**

Alright, FINALLY A NEW CHAPTER! I'm trying to keep the scouts revival stories short, but thorough (if that make sense), so if something seems like it's missing detail, I'm sorry, but I don't want to have six chapters of just scout revivals. Besides, I'm sure you want to know what's happening with Serena, right?

It rained that night. The news said it was the heaviest rainfall recorded in over ten years, but Darien didn't mind the cold water that splashed on his face, and dripped into his eyes. He didn't mind the chill of the stormy winds biting at his bones. He only cared about one thing. The rain did nothing more to Darien, but hide the tears that fell silently from his eyes. They were unseen and unknown to all but him...

Ami gasped as the memories of her past life came flooding in all at once. She was on Mercury, the planet that now, was no more than a large rock of ice, but when her family reigned, it was so much more.

"Ami...AMI!" Her mother's sweet voice called out to her, when she was nothing but a small child of seven years.

"Yes mamma" Ami smiled brightly as she ran into her mother's arms. She giggled lightly when her mother ran her fingers through her long blue hair, tickling her scalp.

"Ami, do you remember what day it is today?" Ami looked up into her mother's eyes thoughtfully. Then, suddenly she remembered the conversation they had no more than a week earlier.

(Flashback)

"Ami, my brave little girl, please don't cry...I know you don't want to leave, but you have to. You're special dear, more special than all the little girls on this planet"

Ami roughly rubbed the tears from her eyes. "But mamma, I don't want to leave you and daddy" She balled her hands into small fist at her sides as she looked at her mother with a pout"

"I know honey, but your destiny is bigger than Mercury, you must leave her, you must go to the Moon, I know that you are too young to understand now, but one day you will understand, your father and I love you, but you are needed by the whole universe, one day baby, I swear you will understand"

(End Flashback)

Ami nodded her head slowly up and down as tears began to fall from her eyes, today was the day she would go to the Moon, and become a Sailor Scout.

Ami hugged her mother tightly, and gave her father a kiss on the cheek as they both stood strong and said goodbye to their little girl. They didn't know if they would ever see her again, and they were dying inside, but if they cried, it would only make it harder for Ami. No, they wouldn't cry, they wanted their little girl to see them happy...she would remember then when they were all together, and happy.

"Princess Ami, we must leave, the transport will be departing soon" Ami nodded her head to the tall woman that now held her hand, she wasn't her mother, but her kind green eyes made Ami feel safe.

"Goodbye Mommy, Daddy, I Love you!" She waved again, somehow knowing she would never see her parents again.

"Momma...Daddy..." Ami let the words escape her lips as her eyes began to water, but she had no time to grieve as more memories flooded her mind.

"Princess Serena! I caught you" She giggled in a large garden of roses as she played tag with the Moon princess and her fellow Sailor Scouts"

Serena snickered at Ami, and then dove at Raye, yelling loudly.

"I GOT YOU NOW YOU'RE IT!" Raye frowned, and began to chase the princess around the yard, angry that she had been beaten by the small blond. They were all enjoying themselves, when the Queen appeared and interrupted their game of tag.

"Girls, I must speak with Ami for a moment, please, excuse us." Ami looked up into the queens sky blue eyes, and knew something was wrong. She knew the Queen too well, since she had become somewhat of a mother to her since she had been brought to the Moon five years ago. Serenity offered her hand to Ami, and she accepted, being lead to into the Queen's own personal chambers. It was their that the Queen told Ami of the attack on Mercury by the people of the dark moon, and how her planet was now void of life...including her parents. The small girl began to cry harshly.

"But, BUT I'M A SAILOR SCOUT!" The Queen brought the small child into her lap, knowing that it must be so hard to have so much power, and so little control.

Later that night, Ami looked at her new short blue hair approvingly in her chamber's mirror, satisfied with the new length as she set down a pair of silver scissors.. Tomorrow, she would throw herself into her training completely, and nothing, not even her long hair would get in her way. She would never let another person the loved get hurt, because she wasn't ready to fight, she would become powerful, and leave games behind, next time she would be ready. Ami began to pick up the strands of long blue hair that lay on the bathroom floor, planning on studying the history of the scouts when she was done.

Ami's eyes began to water suddenly, and once again Luna felt pity for the young Sailor Scouts. It wasn't enough that they had witness so much pain in their lives, but having to relive it all over again, well it was too much for Luna to imagine.

"MERCURY, MERCURY LOOK OUT!" The voice belonged to Lita, Sailor Jupiter, and Ami's heart stopped as she remembered the scene before her. The scouts, had fallen. The battle was long and violent, and in the end, Beryl had destroyed the scouts with the only weapon she could use against them. Love.

"JUPITER!" Ami screamed as a powerful blast that was headed for her, ripped through her best friends body. Sailor Jupiter had sacrificed her own life for Mercury's. Ami fell to her knees shedding desperate tears as she cradled her friend's lifeless body in her arms. There was no reason left to fight, her friends were gone, the Queen was too weak to continue, and she had been betrayed by the only man she had ever loved, but she couldn't let Lita's death be in vain.

"Wh...Why?" she chocked out between sobs as the shadow of her lover, Zoisite. He looked at her blankly, as if he was not controlling his body before charging another energy bolt, and aiming it at the blue haired girl in front of him. Ami looked at Lita's limp form one more time before suddenly charging all her remaining energy into one last attack.

The ice from Mercury, and the energy all from Zoisite met briefly in the middle as they passed though each other, each attack heading for it respective target.

"Zoisite, Lita must be avenged, but I gladly die if I can not be with you" Ami whispered the words, and swore she saw a glint of regret as Zoisite's body was consumed in ice, and Mercury's body was ripped apart by fire.

"A..Ami chan?" Luna asked softly as she looked at the young girl that still sat her knees quietly, with silent tears streaming down her face. Ami suddenly sniffled, and roughly wiped the tears from her eyes, and took a deep breath before standing to her feet with a new determination in her eyes.

"Luna, Artemis, we have work to do"

"ARGHHHHHH!" Lita let out a loud growl of pain and agony as she let her fist fly into a nearby wall, living a nice sized dent in the process. Beryl. It was that evil bitch that had stolen away her happiness on the moon, that evil name that had destroyed her home planet Jupiter and left it an inhabitable ball of dirt. It was her that had taken away her Nephrite. Her sweet dear Nephrite.

"Is it the Negeverse, AGAIN?" Her voice rose with rage as she spoke, wanting only to cause pain to whatever had once again disrupted the lives of her and her friends.

"No, we don't believe so, whatever this enemy is, they seem to have a personal objective."

"Which would be what?" Once again her voice was like a horrible storm that would explode the sky with lightening at any moment.

"Serena, it seems like whatever this enemy is, it wants Serena...Ami's working on gathering information right now, but we must hurry, it seems that ... Serena's gone missing"

Lita's eyes went wide with shock. "Who's left to awaken?"

"Just Rei is left."

"Then let's go get Pyro, and save our Princess!"

"Serenity...Princess Serenity" Serena stirred slightly as she heard a name being called in the distance. She thought she recognized the voice, even the name, but it didn't make sense, were they calling her? Groggily, she began the open her heavy eyelids, and try to take in her surrounding. She appeared to be in a large hotel room, in a private penthouse suite, but how I get here? Slowly, she rose to her feet, and took several shaky steps towards a large window, and moved back the large heavy burgundy drapes, only to reveal that the window had been boarded up, letting only a sliver of daylight pass through the window.

"Serenity" Serena spun on her heals towards the voice that had just spoken that familiar name. There stood a handsome man, with green eyes, and snow white hair. Although he was obviously a very attractive man, and his facial expression almost seemed to say "trust me" Serena, felt uneasy and nervous under is heated gaze.

"Who...are you?" She asked softly, not knowing where she was, or who the man was that stood before her. He let a soft chuckle escape his lips as his eyes glinted with a light that seemed to say "victory".

"My love, you do not remember who I am, you must have bumped your head very hard in deed!" Serena gently touched the top of her head, but could find no bump or sore spot indicating that she had injured herself. Then she remembered something, why was he calling her Serenity?

"Why, who is Serenity, my name is Serena" Once again he let a soft chuckle escape his lips, but he hesitated momentarily, as if to find a fast explanation.

"Serena, is your middle name, but your true name is Serenity, Serenity Tsukino" Tsukino, the name sounded just as familiar to her as Serena, but the rest of the story, did not sit well in her heart, something was not right.

"I, I don't remember, maybe I should go to a hospital? So I can get checked out." He frowned.

"No, that isn't necessary, you'll be fine, it was just a bum to the head, it's probably just temporary." No, was obviously his answer to the hospital visit, but why, what if there was brain damage...if she had hit her head at all. Something just seemed so...out of place.

"Well then, maybe I can go outside, for air?

"Tomorrow maybe, for now, just rest" His answer was swift and final, as he gently pushed her into the soft linens of the king sized hotel bed, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. She noticed that although he spoke to her as if they had always been lovers, the kiss was awkward, and unsure, like it had been their first, but it held none of the fire of a first kiss between lovers, quite to the contrary, it was cold, and at least on her side, it was unwanted.

"Serenity, are you alright, you look like something's bothering you" The man asked her, concern laced his voice. Serena scrambled for an answer.

"I'm fine, it's just... I don't even know your name." His emerald green eyes held a hint of surprise for a moment, then he chuckled softly to himself, as if being amused by his own inside joke.

"My name, is Shigo"

"Shigo..." She repeated the name, hoping it would trigger a memory, but she felt nothing but a confusing sense of dread.

"Now, my little bunny, sleep" His last command seemed to overpower her nervous mind, and ease her into an uncomfortable sleep.

"Serena...Serena?" She could hear a voice calling out to her in her hazy mind, but she just couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from.

"SERENA!" The voice sounded frantic now, like it would die if she wouldn't answer, so she did.

"Who are you? Where are you?" She called out into the darkness that was her mind.

"Serena...I was so worried, are you ok?" It was a male voice, she could tell that much. He seemed relieved to know she was ok, and that made her feel safe, something she hadn't felt since she woke up in her new strange surroundings.

"Yes, I'm fine but who are you?" The voice gasped slightly, and a vision came to her mind of a man with black hair and dark blue eyes, gasping as her shoe hit him in the head.

"Darien, you know who I am Serena, I'm Darien" There was a silent pause as she tried to remember, but she just couldn't, as if some part of her mind was being blocked from her.

"I...I don't know who you are." There was another pause, then the voice came back, now full of resolve.

"It doesn't matter right now, where are you Serena?"

"I...I don't know..." There was another long pause, then the voice spoke again.

"Serena, you have to open your mind to me, and I will find you, I swear."

"I don't understand, I'm safe, right...with Shigo"

"SHIGO?" The voice bellowed, stirring Serena in her sleep.

"Serena, get away from him, he's dangerous, I don't know what he's done to you, but don't trust him."

"But..He says he loves me, he said we we've been together, and I just bumped my head, I don't remember but it'll come back!" She let the words race out of her mouth, as her voice reached a pitch that she had never heard before.

"Serena...it's all a lie. You, belong to me." The statement was final and firm. She, belonged to him? But who was he?

"Serenity, darling, wake up" It was Shigo, she knew he was trying to wake her, but she wasn't ready to wake up yet, she needed to know who this "dream guy" was.

"He's calling me, I have to go now, but please, let me see your face"

"I can't, I don't know how, I don't even know how I'm in your dreams now, but just remember to keep your mind open to me, and I will find you.

"Serena...my little bunny, we have to make arrangements my love" She could feel his cool hands gently shaking her out of her slumber.

"When will I see you?" She asked the voice softly.

"Very soon."

"Serena, we are to be married in a week, we must make arrangements." MARRIED?

"What!" She screeched out of total shock as she jumped from the bed, now completely awake. It was then that she noticed the large diamond solitaire ring, set in gold, with two half moons holding the diamond in place, on her hand. Shigo just chuckled.

"Yes Serena, don't you remember when I proposed to you, and you said yes."

"MARRIED!" Darien yelled as he rose from the bed. Shukoroshi jumped at the loud noise, from his position in the office chair in the other room. They had been looking for any news sightings of a girl that matched Serena's description, when Darien fell asleep on the couch in the living room.

" Darien, what are you talking about?

"Shigo, he's going to marry Serena!"

"But, how...how do you?"

"I don't know, I just fell asleep, then I was in her dreams"

"But, she wouldn't marry him, she doesn't love him" Darien smiled bitter sweetly.

"She doesn't remember she doesn't love him...we have to find her."

Alright, so it took me FOREVER to get this chapter out...Sorry :) It sucks too doesn't it! Anyway, after I finish my other story I will be writing another chapter to this one, I foresee at least three more chapters, since they still haven't found Serena. Leave reviews, and visit my page http/ 


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